DESPITE being shortlisted for one of the Premier League’s player of the months awards, Sunderland midfielder Jan Kirchhoff still thinks there is more to come – he just hopes it will be in the Premier League.

But the German midfielder is desperate for the Black Cats to show greater quality in the final three games of the season after a disappointing performance in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Stoke City, which has left them a point behind Newcastle United in the battle to stay up.

The 25-year-old has added composure and greater intelligence to the midfield since his move from Bayern Munich and has already made 13 appearances for the Wearside team. That is only three short of the number he totalled during an 18-month season loan at Schalke.

Kirchhoff never started a game for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and has lacked regular match football, so the intensity of the fixtures he has encountered during the relegation fight since his arrival could easily have taken their toll.

But Kirchhoff has recovered from a nightmare debut as a substitute at Tottenham in January by displaying a quality suggesting he is worth far more than the £750,000 paid for him – even if he feels pre-season will be when he can really get himself in top gear.

“My fitness is much better now – you can’t really compare it to my situation from three or four weeks ago,” said Kirchhoff. “It is much easier for me to stay in the game now. I’m feeling good for almost the whole 90 minutes. There’s still a little gap for me to go, but I doubt we’ll be able to get that this season. I hope to improve that next season.”

For him to have the opportunity to shine from day one in the Premier League next season he needs to help Sunderland over the line in the battle to stay up.

Sunderland can guarantee top-flight football by collecting seven points from their last three matches because Newcastle, who are a point clear at this stage, have played a game more.

Whether Allardyce’s men can deliver that will depend on what improvements they can make after failing to leave Stoke with maximum points.

Kirchhoff, due to face Chelsea on Saturday at the Stadium of Light, said: “It was important we got something from Stoke, and the points gives us the opportunity to still have the situation in our own hands. We can still influence what happens by ourselves and that is important to us.

“I have to be honest though – I was really disappointed with our performance (at Stoke) and also with the performance of the referee (Craig Pawson). There were some really bad decisions the whole game over.

“We should have had a penalty in the first half and it was a clear foul for their goal. It really went against us, but we managed to stay in the game and get a point that was really important to us.”

But the manner in which Sunderland fought back to earn a point, having fallen a goal behind to Mark Arnautovic’s opener, has ensured that a solid if unspectacular run has continued. They have lost just two of their last 11 matches, even though they have only won two of those.

Kirchhoff said: “The fact we kept on battling away says a lot about the character of the team. We talk about staying in the game when things are not going to plan, and that is really important. We keep on going to the last minute, and if you do that, then anything can happen.

“We needed that point really badly. We have no time to think about the bigger situation when we are playing during a game. We just have to concentrate on what we are doing and try to create chances and get points.”

Relegation would see huge changes at the Stadium of Light and even if Sunderland stay up Allardyce is likely to want to tinker.

It has emerged Roma have included Patrick van Aanholt on a list of alternatives to fill the left-back slot if the Italians fail to reach an agreement with Paris St Germain for Lucas Digne, who is on loan at the Stadio Olimpico.