Jordan Pickford speaks to safc.com ahead of Sunderland’s Stadium of Light showdown with West Ham United.
The Hammers travel to Wearside on Saturday (KO 3pm) but the onus is on the Black Cats as they aim to end a three-game losing streak and return to winning ways.
Jordan, a disappointing result against Manchester United on Saturday, but a defeat against a very good team?
JP: “Yeah it was. We wanted the three points against them and we didn’t get it, but it was always going to be a tough game against a good side. Unfortunately, we lost Seb [Larsson] which didn’t help, but we’re not picking up points where we need to and we need to change that.”
And we’re now at a point where it doesn’t matter how we play, we just need to win…
JP: “Aye. But I don’t think it matters all season to be honest and it doesn’t matter how you play as long as you’re picking up wins. We need to make sure we do win this weekend and then see where it takes us.”
You’ve been here for a long time and you’ve seen many great escapes. Does that give you confidence it can be done, as you’ve seen it before and know anything is possible?
JP: “Of course. You have to draw confidence from what’s been achieved in the past but we need to build our own confidence as well because we’ve lost the last three games. We have to take positives from all of our performances and not dwell on what we can’t change. We have seven games remaining and we have to try and win all seven.”
And by the same token, as a local lad you must be hurting right now because of the position we find ourselves in?
JP: “I am and let’s be serious we’re not in the best place in the world right now. We have to stick together as a team but also as a club. We have to keep ploughing on.”
What’s the spirit like within the dressing room during what must be an incredibly challenging time?
JP: “The lads are up for the fight. We’re all in football to be winners, not losers. It’s not in our nature to be happy when we’re losing and we will all fight to be winners, so we’ll always have a strong belief within the dressing room.”
West Ham United coming up this weekend at the Stadium of Light, and a game that can really set the tone, and the standard, ahead of the final six games?
JP: “You’re right, it will set the tone. We have to make sure we beat West Ham and head into a week of training – with no game – on a high. Then we face Middlesbrough and we have to beat them because that will give everyone – players and fans – a real boost heading into the final five games. We have to look at taking six points from the next two games.”
What have you made of West Ham’s season, as they’ve not managed to reach the same heights they did last season?
JP: “I think it’s always hard when you move into a new stadium – look at Arsenal – and when you leave a ‘fortress’ and move somewhere new you have to build up that place which takes time. They’ve had an up and down season but they’re still a very good side, so hopefully we can catch them off guard but we have to be aware of the threat they pose.”