DEANDRE YEDLIN is adamant Sunderland still have the resilience to avoid relegation to the Championship, insisting they have not hit crisis point at the Stadium of Light just yet.

That could all change this Saturday if the Black Cats are unable to win at Norwich City, who sit just above them but four points clear before the two go head-to-head.

It promises to be a nervy and tense affair at Carrow Road, and Sunderland’s hopes of going into the fixture buoyed by a surprise victory over leaders Leicester City disappeared on Sunday.

The Foxes’ ability to reaffirm their position at the top of the Premier League with a double from Jamie Vardy left Sunderland defeated again.

And, despite only losing four of their last 11 matches under Sam Allardyce to hearten supporters with their determination to try to get a result, they have now won just one of their games since leaving Swansea with a much-needed victory on January 13.

“We can't let it drain away at our belief,” said Yedlin. “It's a really tough position but I think we've shown big improvements from the middle of the season. We need to improve our weaknesses and strengthen our strengths.

“In the Premier League a little half a second can punish you and you just have to be focused for all 90 or 95 minutes, whatever it may be. I'm confident in the team. We all have belief. We have to.”

Sunderland turned in another encouraging display against Leicester but ended up losing – just like they have on 16 other occasions in the league this season.

The standard of performance under Allardyce has actually drawn praise and a degree of respect from opponents and pundits, at a time when Newcastle below them are struggling to do the same and sit two points further adrift.

Yedlin said: “We're not in the best situation right now but we're not in complete turmoil so there's definitely still confidence there. I think with the belief of the fans and their support they carry us along. I have complete confidence in this team.

“You've just got to take it game by game, look to the guys who have been there before for a bit of leadership and look within yourself. We know what we need to do, we have to go out and do it.”

Only four of the Sunderland starting line-up which lost against Leicester were involved in last season’s successful fight to beat the drop; Vito Mannone, Jermain Defoe and Patrick van Aanholt played the final game of last season at Chelsea.

Lee Cattermole has endured relegation battle after relegation battle since his arrival from Wigan in a £6m deal in August 2009 and Yedlin believes those players have a huge part to play in keeping Sunderland up.

The American, with the likes of John O’Shea and Seb Larsson still around, said: “Those that have been through it before are definitely the leaders of the team.

“There are guys you look to a little bit and they've been great for that, especially Lee Cattermole. I think he's taken a big leadership role.

“They're the kind of guys you look to for guidance but you also have to look to yourselves. We know the situation and we know what we need to do.

“We've got to finish our chances and not concede goals. That's how you win games. To be broad, that's what Lee says.”

With a potentially decisive trip to Norfolk to prepare for this week, Yedlin does not think Sunderland can afford to think too hard about what will be going through the Norwich players’ minds after they lost at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The 22-year-old, on loan from Tottenham until the end of the season, said: “I'm not in a position to say what pressure Norwich will be under because I'm not at Norwich but we need to do it, so that's what we're focused on.

“We've got to keep our confidence up because when confidence goes down, performances go down. We had positives on Sunday which we'll work at and there are other things we need to work at on the training pitch.”