Premier League: Gus Poyet will not be distracted from Sunderland rescue effort

Gus Poyet is focused solely on ending Sunderland’s dismal run of form, insisting he does not care about arch-rivals Newcastle’s recent revival.

The Black Cats have slipped into the Premier League's bottom three as a result of their horrific 8-0 defeat at Southampton and last weekend's 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Arsenal, who capitalised on two defensive errors to claim the points.

Their neighbours, on the other hand, have put together a run of four successive victories which has seen the Magpies climb out of the drop zone and book their place in the Capital One Cup quarter-finals.

Promise

But, while Newcastle's form shows how quick a club's fortunes can improve, Sunderland boss Poyet is adamant he is not bothered about what they do as he looks to secure a first Premier League win on a Monday for the club since April 2002.

He said: "I support Sunderland a lot, but not to the point that I look at Newcastle's results, I promise you that. I don't care what they do, I just care about what we do and our results. That's the way I am.

"Now, maybe in a few years' time, I will become so crazy about Sunderland, I will start looking at Newcastle's results and celebrating when they lose, I suppose, but no, not yet, I can promise."

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Not since Peter Reid's side beat Leicester 2-1 at the Stadium of Light in April 2002 have the Black Cats collected three top-flight points on a Monday.

"It's a horrible record. When you are on that side, it's terrible. I don't know why, but I don't know if the players know, to be honest,” he said.

"You mentioned it to me last year once, but we don't change anything, we prepare the same way. It's on TV, it should be all right, it should be a great game to play. I hope we can finish with that, it would be nice for us."

Like Newcastle adversary Alan Pardew, Poyet knows how long a fortnight can be in football with both north-east managers experiencing indifferent starts to their campaigns and enduring the subsequent media spotlight placed on their clubs, a point the Uruguayan loathes.

Emotions

“The problem is that we are dramatic in football nowadays,” he added.

“Two weeks ago, we were perfect, we won the game everybody wanted to win, everything was spot-on, a great international break. Everything was 'sweet', as they say in England.

"Now everything is terrible, we are in the bottom three, the injured players are the best players in the world - that's natural, it's football.

"I need to cope with the emotions more than anyone. That's the most important part of the job, not to make decisions when you are upset or too happy, to wait.

"A week gives you the time to see things, to look at the players, to talk to the players, feel how they are and make decisions. You cannot make decisions, strong decisions, when you are emotional."

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