GUS POYET has told Emanuele Giaccherini to forget about his remarkable miss at Aston Villa and focus on helping Sunderland avoid relegation.

The Black Cats drew a blank at Villa Park but were the better team in the West Midlands, and should have won the game when Giaccherini spurned a gilt-edged opportunity from two yards out in the first half.

The draw - Sunderland’s first point on the road under Poyet - lifted Sunderland off the bottom of the table, and with a run of crucial fixtures on the horizon after the duo of home games against Chelsea and Tottenham, Poyet has stressed that he needs his Italian maestro to be firing on all cylinders.

"I try to say forget it, it happens,” said Poyet of the Italian international’s miss. “The good thing for me is Giaccherini played for me for 90 minutes for the first time.

"He was good on the ball and moved well. He understood what he needed to do and helped the boys in defence which is perfect for him because he wants to play week in week out.

"The aim for Giaccherini is to play at the World Cup for Italy so we need him to perform.

"If he performs well for us, easy he will be there.

"The key for us is he is the player we need. That's why we got him in the summer.

"That is why he is so important for us and we hope he can keep playing and performing."

Not only was this Sunderland’s first point away from home since Southampton in August, it was the Black Cats’ first clean sheet on the road and only their second all season.

Poyet is pleased that his side is beginning to find that balance between attack and defence.

"After the first game I would like to forget the Swansea game,” said Poyet, referring to his first game in charge where Sunderland lost 4-0. “But it is still there in my mind. We are better. But when we were good defensively we couldn't play.

"We couldn't get out. It was a balance. That was what we were looking for on Saturday and I thought we had the balance much better.

"We were able to defend well but also to attack and to create chances. Little things, that is a proper team.

"That doesn't mean you are going to win every game but it gives you better chances. That is what I want to see. Are we good enough, let’s wait and see.”

Poyet felt that the draw at Villa Park was a good starting point going into the festive period, as his players are still getting to grips with the Uruguayan’s passing game.

"Under me, it is my team and if we are all convinced we have a better chance for sure,” said Poyet. “The way to convince the players is with performances like Saturday. I am sure the players go home and they think it was not bad, we defended well.

"Then you start thinking a different way. There is no right or wrong, it is a different way. If they embrace it and they get results I am sure that is going to be better.

"I don't want to exaggerate but it is just the beginning. It is the first point we got away under me which is nothing, we need more but it is a good start. It is a good way of them feeling we can do it.”

Sunderland face West Ham, Norwich, and Cardiff this month, and positive results could see Poyet’s side in a healthier position come the end of the year.

"The teams that do well this month getting points make a massive impact in the league. If we can do well in this period you go up so quickly,” Poyet said.

"We need everybody, that is the only message I can say to the players. Be ready because to be fresh and compete in this league you need to be fresh every game.”