DICK ADVOCAAT has accepted Sunderland will have to play ugly in order to secure their Premier League status for another season.

The Dutchman’s first game in charge since taking over from Gus Poyet ended in defeat after Diafra Sakho scored a late winner for West Ham United on Saturday evening.

The Black Cats produced an improved display from last weekend’s defeat at home to Aston Villa, but they left the Boleyn Ground empty handed even if their performance warranted a point.

There was a distinct change to the way Sunderland played with the passing style that Poyet preferred replaced by more direct play.

They looked more comfortable straight away and while the long balls up to Jermain Defoe, Connor Wickham and Steven Fletcher might not be as easy on the eye Advocaat is prepared to play negative if it means getting results.

“The only important thing in the final eight games is winning,” the Dutchman said. “The way we do it is not important. If we win games very ugly, I like that.

“We’ll play very negative if the need is there.

“We tried to win the game. You don’t go out to make a draw. But during the game if you can feel you are not going to win, you have to play for a draw.

“But I did not have the feeling to be honest that West Ham would score a goal, even when they took Nolan off. They missed his pressure and his comments to the referee. But then somebody else did it.

“I thought on Saturday that was how I would like the team to work. It was a real team that worked for each other. The strikers worked together really hard with the midfield. So in that way, I’m pleased that they can show that if you work as a team and not as individuals, I am sure you will get the luck you need.

“On Saturday we did not get the luck we deserved.”

Advocaat was referring to Sakho’s 88th minute strike, which the Black Cats felt should have been disallowed after a foul by Nene on Seb Larsson in the build up.

The head coach, who has been tasked with saving Sunderland from relegation with his side sitting one point above the bottom three, now has two weeks to work with his squad during the international break.

The Wear-Tyne derby follows on April 5 but Advocaat has urged his squad not to get caught up in the build up to Newcastle’s visit to the Stadium of Light.

He said: “I think a home derby you have a big advantage. If we do what we did at West ham, tactically-wise, we did well.

“We did not create a lot of chances but in a home game with our fans behind us we can do much better in that way.

“For us every game is important because we need the points. So the next game - and that’s at Newcastle - will always be the most important.

“Some players will go out (on international duty), the rest will have a couple of days off.

“Then we will have one whole week to practice on things and see who comes back. We don’t know how it will be for Wes Brown – for us an important player.

“But now we have the time to see in training if people are the right players for that position. We have more time to play against each other.”

Adam Johnson returned to action for the first time since his arrest for alleged sexual activity with a minor. The winger returned to training last week after Sunderland lifted a club suspension and Advocaat has hinted he will be involved against Newcastle despite being on the receiving end of some derogatory chanting at the Boleyn Ground.

“He came in on Wednesday and I spoke with him,” Advocaat said.

“Life goes on. He did well, because he is a very good player.

“I was happy that I could bring him in. It’s good to know he will be here for the derby game against Newcastle.”

Meanwhile, Hammers boss Sam Allardyce distanced himself from rumours he is interested in taking over on Wearside in the summer.

The former Newcastle boss is out of contract at the end of the season, but despite not agreeing a new deal Allardyce poured cold water on the idea of moving to the Stadium of Light.

He said: “I don’t know why people are speculating about me going to Sunderland.

“They’ve got Dick Advocaat in charge until the end of the season and I’m doing the same here at West Ham as I did in year two when my contract ran down in that year.

“We as a team over-achieved that year, finishing tenth. We didn’t do quite as well last year but this season we had the dizzy heights of sitting in fourth spot for a good period of time.”