Ex-Newcastle boss writes off Sunderland's chances of staying up

Former Newcastle United boss Graeme Souness and fellow pundit Jamie Redknapp have all but written off Sunderland's chances of beating the drop this season.

The Black Cats slumped to a 2-0 defeat against Manchester City yesterday to remain bottom of the Premier League table.

The game was live on Sky Sports, and afterwards pundits Redknapp and Souness had their say.

“I do fear for them,” said former England midfielder Redknapp. “They have danced with the devil too many times.

“The personnel aren’t good enough.”

Ex-Newcastle United manager Souness believes the next few games, against Burnley, Watford and Leicester, are vital for the Black Cats if they are to stay up.

Souness said: “They have got to get some meomentum going. They have got to get some belief.”