John O'Shea is urging Manchester United to stay strong as they look to put their away-day blues behind them.
United have failed to register an away win in four attempts so far this season.
"The away form has been disappointing but I can see that turning around very soon because of the quality and experience we have," he said.
Taken in isolation, Saturday's stalemate at Sunderland was not too much of a disappointment given the Black Cats held Arsenal at the Stadium of Light earlier this season and United went into the fixture on the back of a testing Champions League trip to Valencia.
However, having tossed away victories in the final minutes of matches at Fulham and Everton, then been unable to exert their superiority at Bolton, suddenly United find themselves embroiled in an unwanted game of catch-up, five points behind leaders Chelsea and also trailing neighbours Manchester City at this advanced stage of the campaign for the first time in 20 years.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side were outplayed for long periods on Saturday but O'Shea is remaining resolute.
O'Shea added: "We won't know whether these draws are a concern until the end of the season. But at Manchester United, it has always been the case that if we draw two or three games it is a crisis, people say the empire is crumbling. We are used to that. It happens every season. It is about proving the critics wrong."
If there is comfort to be drawn from the present situation, it is that matches are not being lost.
United suffered seven defeats last term, yet still only missed out on the Premier League title by a single point. So far, they are yet to lose this season, one of only two clubs, Fulham are the other, to be in that position.
"You do take some comfort from the fact we haven't lost, but we were ahead at Fulham and Everton and should have killed those games off," said O'Shea. "But we are more than capable of going on a long unbeaten run and turning those draws into wins."
Source: PA
