JERMAIN DEFOE thinks Sunderland’s fans deserve to be watching Premier League football next season and is desperate to help deliver it again after edging them a step closer to safety.

Defoe has been on Wearside for less than five months but in the 16 appearances he has made for the Black Cats he has realised just how important the club is to its fans on Wearside.

Despite Sunderland’s struggles, the supporters have tended to get behind the team and have still turned up for games both at home and away.

It is a claim backed up by the fact that Sunderland have sold out on 18 of their away fixtures this season, which increased yesterday when it was announced they will have a full section at Arsenal on May 20.

That level of backing has not gone unnoticed by Defoe, who was part of the on-field celebrations in front of the travelling contingent at Goodison Park on Saturday when Sunderland claimed a vital three points in the relegation fight.

The former England man suffered the disappointment of relegation as a West Ham player in 2003 and there is no way he wants to suffer a repeat 12 years on aged 32.

He said: “You have to stay in the Premier League. Everyone wants to play in the Premier League. Players want to play in the best league in the world and this is a massive club, a massive Premier League club.

“Even in difficult times the fans always turn up and support the players and we are lucky to have fans like that. It is important we keeping winning and look forward to next season in the Premier League.”

Defoe’s fourth goal for Sunderland helped earn the victory at Everton which lifted them out of the relegation zone and two points above third from bottom Hull City; Newcastle United are also below them because of an inferior goal difference.

The success has teed Sunderland up nicely for this Saturday’s visit of Leicester City to the Stadium of Light, where a fourth win in six matches could actually preserve top-flight status with two matches remaining.

That would be a success for Dick Advocaat, whose sole challenge was to keep Sunderland in the Premier League to enable owner Ellis Short to plan for a ninth consecutive campaign at that level, which is the club’s best run in the top-flight of English football since they suffered relegation from the old First Division in 1958.

“Football is all about confidence,” said Defoe. “Especially with back-to-back wins, even winning against Southampton, who have done very well this year, was really difficult but we managed to win.

“To go to Everton on Saturday, a really difficult place to go, with good players, and they made it difficult for us at times. But it was a case of being patient, being organised and when we got forward with quality we got some chances to win the game. We got that little bit of luck that we needed.”

Defoe has scored wherever he has played but, because of the increase in TV money Premier League clubs will receive next season, there is an even greater need for him to find the net to keep Sunderland up.

The January arrival from Toronto is well aware of how much his goals could be worth financially between now and the end of the season after netting his fourth for the club at Everton.

He said: “I think so – I hope so, but I don't want to get too carried away. Next week is a massive one, get three points against Leicester and everyone can feel we have achieved something. You are right about the three points at Everton, though. We may look back at the end of the season and realise how massive they were.”

Defoe is likely to continue on the right following the impressive return to the side of Danny Graham when the Foxes do travel to the North-East this weekend.

Graham is looking to the future after finally scoring for Sunderland for the first time since his £5m move from Swansea in January 2013 when Steve Bruce signed him; Paolo Di Canio, Gus Poyet and Advocaat have all had spells in charge since.

Graham, who saw Jordi Gomez’s shot hit him en route to beating goalkeeper Tim Howard, said: “It was a bit surreal, to be honest, the way it went in. I don’t know how it managed to spin like that and go in off the far post.

“But I’m delighted to get that first goal and hopefully I can kick on now. I’ve said before that I’m probably the fittest and sharpest since I’ve been at the club. I have to thank the medical staff with the gym work and stuff.

“Hopefully that goal kick-starts my Sunderland career. I’ve said before that it’s been a tough couple of years, I can’t hide from that. But I’ve been playing well in the last couple of weeks and helped to win the two penalties against Southampton. The gaffer kept his faith in me and kept me up there.”