Sunderland can score plenty of goals at home, insists Defoe

Jermain Defoe brushed-off claims that an overly negative approach from Gus Poyet has been stifling Sunderland's ability to score goals in their efforts to climb away from the Premier League relegation fight.


The new arrival opened his account to seal only a second home league win of the season as the Wearside club found the net more than once in a game at the Stadium of Light for the first time in four months.

Having failed to score in 11 of their previous 26 games, Defoe's trademark close-range finish doubled an advantage given to the hosts by Connor Wickham's header as the hosts pressed forward with more intent than for most of this campaign.

Poyet has utilised a variety of approaches in a bid to improve the attacking output, admitting that even he would struggle to score in his team. But Defoe is more confident of prospering in front of goal, after opening his account at the third time of asking.

"In my first two games we played very deep and it wasn't easy," the January arrival from Toronto FC said after drawing level 13th with Nicolas Anelka on the Premier League's all-time goal-scorers' list with 125.

"This performance was a lot better; we were a lot tighter when they had the ball and we got lots of crosses in the box. This team is certainly capable of scoring goals, especially here at home."

Despite feeling that Defoe plays better with a strike partner, Poyet asked him to operate as lone man through the middle, with Wickham and Adam Johnson playing out wide, but regularly tucking in to make a front three whenever possible.

Sunderland, who do not expect any movements on the final day of the transfer window, were rarely required to be anything more than functional, against a Burnley team that has won just one of their last nine matches.

Defoe said: "We have some big games coming up and there's still a long way to go, but it is important we're winning games. As a forward you're waiting to get that first goal."

Sunderland were helped by a Burnley side which Sean Dyche admitted lacked their normal "edge".

Continued speculation over the future of Danny Ings, according to Dyche, affected the forward's performance, as the Burnley manager reiterated his intention not to lose the England Under-21 international.

Tom Heaton, the Burnley goalkeeper, said: "Ingsy has shown himself to be a top drawer player. He's an outstanding player and has been fantastic again this season."


By Jason Mellor, Telegraph