"Sunderland Are Frightened To Play At The Stadium Of Light"

There probably isn't a better time to play Sunderland than this weekend with the club seemingly in turmoil both on and off the pitch and being ripped into by the media and former players alike.

There may only be four points currently separating the Swans and their hosts on Saturday but the reality seems to be that there is a massive gulf between the two clubs with the Swans having pulled together a squad that can compete very strongly this season whilst Sunderland are already being written off as relegation certainties just two games into the new season.

A 4-2 defeat at Leicester and a 3-1 home defeat to Norwich have left the Black Cats at the bottom of the Premier League table and facing the inform Swans on Saturday is likely to do nothing for their confidence at this point in time.

And they are being urged to spend big in the last two weeks of the transfer window to ensure that they have the best chance possible to be in the Premier League next season when the rewards for doing so are the highest that they have ever been.

Former defender Michael Gray has suggested that owner Ellis Short needs to dip into the reserves and get at least half a new team as he believes that at least that many are not good enough to play for the club.

Gray told Talksport "Ellis Short has got to invest money in the squad. The TV rights for the next three years are around £150million - Ellis Short needs to go and spend it.

"You bring in Sebastian Coates and Younes Kaboul from Liverpool and Tottenham respectively, and they are not good enough. Patrick van Aanholt was absolutely horrendous at the weekend - I have never seen a performance like it in my life.

"Jermain Defoe - why leave the Premier League and go to Toronto? Because in the back of your mind you are thinking you couldn't do it in the Premier League every week.

"I couldn't believe what I witnessed. I have seen some pretty inept performances over the last three years, but that was the lowest of the low, it really was.

"I'm not saying I was brilliant every week, because I wasn't, but what I would do is give 100 per cent. That is what the fans expect and when they don't get that, they give out a bit of criticism and the players can't handle it.

"The shirt is too big for them. They are frightened to play at the Stadium of Light."

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