Allardyce gives tough love to Sunderland players

Allardyce said: “My worry is, just recently, some of our best performances have been against Man City and here and we’ve got zero points”. “You will, you will”, came the response.

And thanks to a succession of second-half misses, Sunderland’s players also tossed away the opportunity to haul themselves out of the relegation zone for what would have been the first time since November.

There is a lesson for Sunderland, who have made awful starts to the last three season, leaving them having to gather the bulk of their points in the closing months.

Allardyce said: “We could have made life extremely hard for ourselves going forwards”. You have to be encouraged by the performance, but for them not to convert any of their chances is a real concern to me.

His body language was downbeat and that seemed to be overdoing things slightly.

The next fixture’s at the Stadium of Light tomorrow night against Crystal Palace.

Saturday’s game marked Allardyce’s first return to Upton Park since his acrimonious departure at the end of last season, and while he was not exactly afforded a rapturous reception by the West Ham fans, there was little of the bitterness that might have been expected given the critical comments that were included in his autobiography, where he branded the Hammers supporters “deluded”.

“We look around the dressing room and think, “I don’t know how we’re in this position”.

The likes of Manchester United and Arsenal have been mentioned as realistic destinations for Ayew but it can now be revealed that West Ham United are ramping up their pursuit to sign the striker.

“Over the season that is the difference between the good teams and the bad teams”. On Saturday, it was hard to say they handled that pressure particularly effectively.

“With the position we’re in, it was imperative that we came away with at least a result”. Some of the press might have thought, “Sunderland, it should be easy”, but no way.

Sunderland, who had drawn 2-2 at Liverpool and beaten Manchester United 2-1 on their two previous outings, remain a point from safety. “But it comes because of our points and performances so far”. Europa League football should be guaranteed, but now the Hammers can dream of moving into the Olympic Stadium in the summer with the prospect of Champions League football.

“How Jack Rodwell could have got his arm out the way there, I don’t know”. “We said that before we came out and we had chances in the second half so I’m disappointed not to have taken one”.