DICK ADVOCAAT has admitted his squad lacks quality as it stands – but believes that if there are no more signings, his side's spirit can carry them up the Premier League table.

There has been very little to cheer on Wearside, but Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Swansea City was the high point of Sunderland’s season so far. Advocaat believes the battling spirit on display will stand the Black Cats in good stead.

“I have a much better feeling,” said Advocaat. “The way we played, with the spirit we showed last year, proved that we can get results.

“They responded very well, straight from the beginning in the dressing-room.

“But it has not changed (we need signings).”

Sunderland started well but were hit by a Bafetimbi Gomis goal on the stroke of half-time, before Jermain Defoe restored parity in the second half. It was a performance that heartened the Black Cats supporters, with the volume levels raised in the Stadium of Light.

“We said to them this week that if you can do what they did last season, working right with the spirit of the team, you get the crowd behind you, even after the previous two games,” said Advocaat.

“You see what you can do in the home games.

“There was a lot of energy. You could see Swansea had the better players.

“But hopefully at the end, we can do a little bit the same.”

Sunderland were denied a penalty when Ashley Williams handled inside the area, and Advocaat said: “If the referee had given us the penalty, which was a penalty, then we could have won.

“But I can live with 1-1, to be fair to Swansea as well.”