DICK ADVOCAAT has told his players that Sunderland’s position at the foot of the Premier League will not improve unless they can eradicate the sort of mistakes that have put them there.

The Black Cats suffered another defeat, this time a 3-0 reversal at Manchester United, on Saturday even though there were signs of improvement before the opening goal arrived deep in stoppage-time at the end of the first half.

Memphis Depay was the scorer when he converted Juan Mata’s volley back across goal after the Spaniard had been allowed to coast behind Patrick van Aanholt to meet Daley Blind’s long ball.

Seconds after half-time Wayne Rooney added the second when he scored his first Premier League goal of the season and then Mata added a third in the final minute.

Advocaat tried to find the positives but could not hide his frustration after watching Sunderland leave too many gaps for the opposition to exploit once more.

"We can't keep saying we have a lot of games to go,” said Advocaat. “We cannot keep saying after each game to take the good things out of it.

"Again, we were well-organised against a good side, but we gave the game away in two minutes.

"Normally we give the goals away at the beginning. Now it's at the end (of the first half) and the beginning of the second half.

"With the way the team was organised in the first half, it was OK. We tried to do something on the break sometimes, but if you see the kind of mistake we made for the first goal, then you ask for problems. Before that, United didn't have a lot of chances."

The experienced Dutchman, whose side are now winless in seven league games and have collected just two points from a possible 21, was also critical of individuals.

He said: "The first goal was a long ball and Patrick van Aanholt is watching his own man, instead of closing down.

"Also Lee (Cattermole) who played a very good game, but from that distance, he cannot let the ball go past him.

"The second goal is the same. Too easy. The third goal the same. I can accept losing sometimes, but we made it very easy in the end."

And after substituting Adam Johnson at half-time the winger will be fortunate to stay in the starting line-up when West Ham visit the Stadium of Light next weekend.

Advocaat said: "Every ball he (Johnson) touched was wrong, from what I'd seen.

“Plus the fact that (Fabio) Borini as a striker had problems keeping the ball. That was why I brought on Fletcher.”