Source: Daily_Mail
Cisse certain struggling Sunderland can win their battle for survival
Striker Djibril Cisse is confident Sunderland[LNB]can win their battle for Barclays Premier League survival. [LNB]The 27-year-old Frenchman has seen his side slip alarmingly down the table in recent weeks to the point where they are in severe danger of being sucked back into the scrap at the bottom. [LNB]Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by Wigan[LNB], which came seven days after Robbie Keane's late equaliser at the Stadium of Light snatched two points from their grasp, left the Black Cats just three points clear of the relegation zone.[LNB] Sight for sore eyes: Djibril Cisse is confident Sunderland can turn the tide despite sitting just three points above the drop zone[LNB]They head for Manchester City[LNB]tomorrow and then go to West Ham[LNB]knowing that any extension of a run which has brought just two leaguewins in 11 attempts could have dire consequences. [LNB]The situationon Wearside is not yet parlous, but Cisse and his team-mates are wellaware that the comfort zone they established with home victories overFulham[LNB]in January and Stoke[LNB]last month has all but evaporated. [LNB] Ferdinand back to face City as Sbragia targets Sunderland revival [LNB]Quinn: It's crunch time for Sunderland with survival the key [LNB]SUNDERLAND FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB] However, the Frenchman maintains their fate remains in their own hands. [LNB]He said: 'There are a lot of points still, so we can still turn the situation. [LNB]'Butyes, it's annoying to not score goals, it's annoying to not win games,to be 1-0 up and in the last minute, concede a goal. [LNB]'It is annoying but there are a lot of games and still a lot of time. [LNB]'It's a matter of one game. We need a victory and the I think we would be back to the right way and start winning games again. [LNB]'But we need that game and we need it quickly.' [LNB]Saturday'sdefeat by Wigan was, remarkably, Sunderland's seventh in the league onhome turf this season, although just the second under new boss RickySbragia. [LNB]They have been well supported at the Stadium of Light- a crowd of 39,266 watched Saturday's game - but patience is startingto wear thin. [LNB]Indeed, the players were booed from the pitchafter Steve Bruce's since ended their wait for a league win at theninth attempt on a black day for the hosts. [LNB]Eastlands may notbe the ideal venue at which to try to end a run of four games without avictory - City have won seven of their last eight games there in allcompetitions.[LNB] Striking doubt: Cisse admits there is pressure to build a fruitful forward partnership with struggling strike-partner Kenwyne Jones[LNB] [LNB]However, Cisse admits there may be less pressure on the Black Cats than there is on their own park. [LNB]He said: 'I don't think it is going to be easier to go there because City are really good at home. [LNB]'Butmaybe there will be less pressure because we are away and we don't haveall the stadium behind us. Still, the pressure is going to be there.' [LNB]Pressureis something Cisse, who does not yet know whether or not his loan movefrom Marseille will become permanent during the summer, andstrike-partner Kenwyne Jones have had to deal with in recent weeks asthey struggle to develop their on-field relationship. [LNB]They haveclaimed half of the club's eight goals in their last 11 league gamesbetween them, but neither has found the net since the Trinidad andTobago international struck against Stoke on February 7. [LNB]However, Cisse has been around long enough to know that personal droughts do come to an end eventually. [LNB]'Ithappens,' he said. 'Every season you have your periods where you don'tscore goals. But you just need to be strong and believe in yourself.'[LNB] Ferdinand back to face City as Sbragia targets Sunderland revival [LNB]Quinn: It's crunch time for Sunderland with survival the key [LNB]SUNDERLAND FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB] [LNB] [LNB]
