Dick Advocaat is convinced the points will come if Sunderland play the way they did during their defeat to Tottenham.
The Black Cats slipped back to the foot of the Barclays Premier League table as a result of their 1-0 reverse at the hands of Spurs, who snatched the points at the Stadium of Light on Sunday through Ryan Mason's 82nd-minute winner.
But having watched a team bolstered by the additions of late transfer window additions Fabio Borini and Ola Toivonen take the game to the visitors for much of the contest, Advocaat walked away feeling positive.
The 67-year-old Dutchman said: "I said to the players, 'If the fans are proud of you when you lose a game, but you give everything, it can only be better'.
"And believe me, if we play the way we played today and give everything, the points will come because that's football.
"The way we played, I have not seen many games from us that we have played this way, this system and attacking-wise and the spirit in the team, the passing - that's a little bit the way I like, and now we need a few more goals at the right time."
Sunderland were desperately unfortunate not to take a 26th-minute lead after Jermain Defoe beat keeper Hugo Lloris with a right-footed shot, only to see the ball come back off the foot of the post.
The former Spurs striker was appealing in vain for a penalty before the break after being tugged back by defender Toby Alderweireld a split-second before he tested Lloris with a left-foot strike.
Sunderland's luck deserted them once again five minutes from time when substitute Jack Rodwell rattled the crossbar with Lloris beaten.
Advocaat said: "It was maybe a penalty with Defoe when he pulls his arm - he can give it, he cannot give it - but sometimes you need a little bit of luck for a referee to give that.
"But I have some problems with 1-0 because our team worked so hard to get a result and one point would have been a really good result against a side as good as Spurs."
Mason had scored what proved to be the decisive goal, after t he visitors gradually worked their way into the game with substitutes Andros Townsend and Erik Lamela making significant impacts as their hosts tired.
Midfielder Dele Alli, who was one of those to make way, admitted a goal which secured a first league win of the campaign came as a relief.
He told Spurs TV: "It was massive for us for our confidence. We have been playing really well in all the other games, but haven't found that killer goal to get the winner, and we're happy to do that.
"We know what we can do and we know what we are capable of, and it was just a case of getting that goal.
"We knew if we kept a clean sheet and kept a solid back four and defended well that the goal would come eventually, and I'm happy it did.
"Obviously everyone was on their seats waiting for it to come and it was a case of waiting for that moment for the ball to go through and the player to finish it, and thankfully Ryan Mason did it today."
Source: PA
