Moyes to remain at Sunderland

The Swans are now one point clear of the bottom three after their 1-0 win at Everton, combined with Hull City’s 2-0 loss against the Black Cats, saw the Welsh outfit leapfrog the Tigers into 17th place.

“It’s disappointing”, Silva told the BBC after his side missed a barrage of chances against the visitors, who completed a league double over Hull after winning the reverse fixture 3-0.

“We had many chances to score and we gave Sunderland some moments as well and good chances on counter attacks”. We knew it was going to be hard and Hull’s result [a 2-0 defeat against Sunderland] gave them a boost. “Of course we want to keep him”.

“We want to do our best and control what it is possible to control – the game, our opponents and our players. Fast and well is not easy”, Silva said. They tried to do everything too fast in some moments, not be calm.

David Moyes side played without pressure – as you would do when relegation has already been confirmed – and George Honeyman should have given them the lead early on but the midfielder headed a good chance wide.

Silva’s frustration extended to the officials, having felt Hull should have been awarded two penalties and that Defoe was offside for Sunderland’s second.

“But again it is not is an excuse for me”. We didn’t play well. “And I think every single Sunderland supporter knew a rebuild was needed”.

1035 – Jermain Defoe’s goal was his first in 1035 minutes of Premier League action.

“A draw would probably have been a fair result”, he said. Summer signing Fernando Llorente got the only goal of the game at the Liberty Stadium for Swansea and they know they can secure their top flight status next weekend against Sunderland – other results depending. But our confidence is up and if we continue in this way I think we will stay in the league.

“Our performance was high level”.

Several out of contract players can expect to depart, while goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and top-scorer Jermain Defoe, who both harbour World Cup ambitions, will look for top-flight suitors.

Since taking charge at the Liberty Stadium in January, the 45-year-old has overseen a major uplift in the club’s fortunes, guiding them out of relegation zone with a 1-0 win over Everton on Saturday.

He said: “Good players and English players have a premium”. Whoever came up with them were completely wrong. Yet he failed to quash speculation of a move by suggesting “wherever Jordan goes, if he goes, it will have to be a really big price”.

Moyes remains confident Pickford will not leave – warning potential suitors that would have “to pay the price”.