Chris Coleman has tasked his players with putting a major dent in the gap to safety with victory at Queens Park Rangers this weekend.
Sunderland head to the capital for the second time in seven days, chasing their first win in eight matches.
While a point at Millwall last Saturday provided some optimism going into Tuesday’s match against Aston Villa, frustration returned as the Black Cats fell to defeat on home turf.
And with just 10 games remaining, Coleman has admitted his players must make inroads into the four-point gap that separates them from safety before it’s too late.
“I have just got to make sure they keep believing,” he said.
“But as low as it is, as hard as it is, with 10 games to play we are still only four points off. The teams around us are losing but that won’t last forever.
“Our future is still in our hands somewhat. That is what we have got to hang onto, but the games are running out of course.
“There are 30 points to play for, we are four adrift, we have got to make sure by hook or by crook that gap is getting smaller rather than getting larger.
“Every day ordinary people do extraordinary things,” he continued.
“When you are right in the middle of it sometimes you can’t see a way out. You get dragged down by disappointment and negativity – if you let it keep you there then that’s where you are going to stay.
“The good thing if there is another game coming up, another chance, and that is why my optimism stays.”
