Jack Colback says Sunderland must not let their win over Reading be a one-off.
Colback has warned his team-mates their recovery mission has only just started.
He said: "We certainly feel more comfortable than when we were 18th, that's for sure.
"We knew how important this game was and we have won it. There's a lot of relief. We knew coming into it how big a game it was. We have not performed how we would have liked this season and we have not really had the rub of the green very much so far.
"But we knew coming into it that it was a must-win game and we produced on the night.
"But that's not even half the job done. We know we are down there where we don't want to be and where we shouldn't be, and we need to start winning more games, especially here, and giving the fans something to cheer about."