Arsenal legend linked with manager’s job at Premier League strugglers

DICK ADVOCAAT has told his players that Sunderland’s position at the foot of the Premier League will not improve unless they can eradicate the sort of mistakes that have put them there.

The Black Cats are still without a win in the Premier League and are rooted to the bottom of the table with two points from seven games.

Sunderland head coach Dick Advocaat has admitted that his new summer signings don’t seem to making any sort of difference to his side after their poor start to the league campaign.

M’Vila – one of the few Sunderland players to emerge from Old Trafford with any credit – believes the team needs to show “courage and aggression” when West Ham visit the Stadium of Light this weekend.

“However, the goal just before half-time killed us”.

“We are going through change, and change is painful, tough and hard”, he said.

“If we have an idea about how to do that, you have to change it. The next seven games until the end of November are very important”. Blackman’s strike in the 36th minute put Reading ahead but two second half goals, one coming from Ross Barkley and a Gerard Deulofeu freekick put Roberto Martinez’s side in the next round. “We made it very easy for them”.

“Every ball he touched was wrong”, said Advocaat, who gave striker Fabio Borini both barrels too.

It is the third year running that Sunderland have won none of their first six games and the second in succession for their neighbours.

“We weren’t really able to play, gave the ball away too easily and weren’t able to keep hold of it long enough”.

M’Vila added: “We were good for that first half – controlled, blocking things. That was why I brought on Fletcher”.