Jack Rodwell has challenged his Sunderland team-mates to drag the team out of trouble after admitting they have gone "backwards".
The Black Cats find themselves marooned at the foot of the Premier League table as Saturday's late 1-0 defeat at West Ham left them five points adrift of safety and still without a victory nine games into the new campaign.
After finishing last season with just one defeat in 11 matches under then manager Sam Allardyce, that has come as a major disappointment and left Allardyce's successor David Moyes fighting an uphill battle.