KEVIN Phillips warned Sunderland fans last night to prepare for a long, hard winter after the striker admitted they are already fighting to save their Premiership skin.

As Sunderland slumped to second bottom after Charlton Athletic beat Middlesbrough, Phillips said: "This is a relegation battle, simple as that."

The hopes that last season's brush with the danger zone was a one-off, and subsequently that Howard Wilkinson's arrival would transform their fortunes, have been replaced with an acknowledgement that the Black Cats are once again staring into the abyss.

Six defeats in ten Premiership games, in which Sunderland have scored just four goals, have left Phillips conceding that avoiding the drop would constitute success come next May.

In a refreshingly frank interview, he said: "We've seen in the past that it's difficult for teams in the bottom three at this stage of the season to claw themselves out of it.

"It's difficult for the supporters because they've seen some great times here, and at the moment it's doom and gloom. I'm sure they're fed up.

"We're in the wrong part of the table to be able to give myself and Marcus Stewart five games to gel, for instance. We need to gel straight away.

"Confidence is low at the moment and we've got to try to instill that again. I watch the video of my goals all the time to try to lift myself.

"Our first win is crucial. Once we get that, we'll get the supporters on our side again, and we'll be able to go from strength to strength."

Phillips refused to condemn Wilkinson for deploying him as a deep-lying striker towards the end of Saturday's game, saying: "Of course I'm best in the box but I'll play wherever the manager tells me to play."

He also made it clear he will not countenance failure in his team's struggle for survival and remains adamant they will dig themselves out of trouble.

The next two fixtures, ironically against Bolton next Monday and Charlton six days later, present Howard Wilkinson with a superb chance to get his Sunderland reign off and running.

It is an opportunity Phillips reckons his side will seize, and he said: "I know in my heart we've got the players to do it.

"It wasn't the best performance for the new manager against West Ham.

"In previous games, we've been too concerned about what supporters are doing or saying. We've got to forget about them.

"You don't become a bad team overnight. We've got to get back to basics, and we've got a full week now where we can work on things."

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