Sunderland striker Connor Wickham is confident that the club will manage to avoid relegation this season.

Wickham scored on Saturday as Sunderland battled to a 1-1 draw at Stoke City but the results involving clubs around them on the table meant that the Black Cats dropped into the relegation zone.

Despite the situation, Wickham was feeling confident about the Wearside's push for survival.

He said: "There are only five games left, but it is still a long way to go.

"And although it is going to be difficult, I think we have more than enough talent in the changing room to take on the teams we have got to play and get the points we need to stay safe."

He added: "I think the way we performed in the second half [against Stoke], if we keep doing that from now until the end of the season, we will be more than fine.

"In the first half, after scoring, maybe we should have attacked and tried to take them on a bit more.

"But I think we can be proud with the way we performed in the second half - even if we are a bit disappointed we didn't come away with three points, as we had numerous chances to score.

"We need to start the next game [Saturday's home clash with Southampton] as we finished the Stoke one."

Sunderland are currently lying in 18th spot, one point behind Leicester City, and three clear of second-bottom QPR.