THE final 30 minutes might not have gone to plan, but Jermain Defoe has highlighted Sunderland’s willingness to deliver balls into the box as a key positive to have emerged from Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Crystal Palace.

The Black Cats tossed away a two-goal lead as Palace claimed three goals in the space of half-an-hour to send David Moyes’ side tumbling to the foot of the Premier League table, and pile even more pressure on this weekend’s home game with West Brom.

Defoe’s goalscoring form has been one of the few bright spots in the opening six weeks of the season, with last weekend’s double making it four goals in the space of six games for the former England international.

Defoe’s performances are going to be crucial to Sunderland’s survival hopes, and while the 33-year-old was understandably disappointed with his side’s weekend capitulation, he was buoyed by the number of chances that were created in the defeat.

“There were a lot of positives to take from the game,” said Defoe. “The amount of chances we created and our energy levels, and we put more crosses into the box, which is what the manager wanted.

“It’s not often you score two goals and come away a little bit down, but we just have to keep going. It’s still early days and we’re only six games in, but we don’t want to wait until the last couple of months – or the last month – to get results. We need to get the points now, and we want to show how good we are as a team.”

Sunderland’s opening six games have included matches against the top two sides in the table, but this weekend’s visit of West Brom sparks a run of three much more inviting fixtures either side of the international break.

After hosting a Baggies side that have only won once since the opening weekend of the season, Sunderland take on Stoke, who are a place above them in the table, and West Ham, who are in a state of crisis as they sit in 18th.

Nothing will be decided by mid-October, but it will be hard to see how Sunderland can haul themselves out of trouble if they are unable to record a first league victory in their next three games.

“It’s important we take something (against West Brom),” said Defoe. “It’s also important for the lads to forget about last Saturday.

“We have to go back to the training pitch, work hard and try to put in the same kind of performance, and hopefully if we get a little bit of luck, we will get the points that we need.

“We’re improving, but when you’re 2-0 up and concede within 30 seconds it isn’t good enough, and I think all the players know that.”

Meanwhile, Sunderland have been linked with a possible loan move for former Liverpool midfielder Joao Teixeira in January.

Teixeira, who has had previous loan spells at Brentford and Brighton, was released from Anfield in the summer, but is yet to make a senior appearance for his current club, Porto.