DICK ADVOCAAT is planning a change of system in a bid to find a solution to Sunderland’s woeful form and stop the slide towards the Championship.

The Black Cats head coach endured another defeat on Saturday when goals from Memphis Depay, Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata lifted Manchester United to the top of the Premier League.

And while a defeat to the leaders at Old Trafford is by no means a disgrace, the situation Sunderland find themselves in continues to worry supporters after failing to win any of their opening seven league games.

Advocaat – who claims the signings made by sporting director Lee Congerton in the summer were not to suit a system just “players who were available” - has now accepted he will have to scrap the lone striker approach which has brought no rewards.

The experienced Dutchman said: “What we have to think about is do we need to change things? Last year we had working workers, I think. That also didn't bring results.

“(Fabio) Borini and (Jermain) Defoe have struggled as lone strikers. We definitely have to look at a change of formation. Now we have to ask do we go on with 4-3-3 or do we have to find another solution? Do we have to play tighter, and play that way?

“We have to think about the way we are playing to find a way to be more successful than we have so far. If we have an idea about how to do that, you have to change it.”

Sunderland face West Ham United at the Stadium of Light on Saturday before heading in to the international break – and he knows results need to improve fast.

“I'd never managed a team at the bottom of the table until last year,” said the former PSV Eindhoven boss. “It's difficult because we brought some new players in and you hope they will do that along with the players left. But they don't seem at the moment to be making a difference.”

But he was critical of the way some of his players approached the game and he explained his reason for taking Adam Johnson off at half-time.

Advocaat said: “What I don't like is to blame players. If you win, you win together, and you lose together.

“But when someone asked me if I thought Adam Johnson had not had the best game on Saturday I agreed. He's a player who, with his touch, can do something but if he starts giving balls away then it's quite simple.

“The next seven games until the end of November are very important.”