DAVID MOYES has told Sunderland’s supporters he has the heart for the relegation battle after sensing the frustration towards him has grown during the latest winless start to the campaign.

Even though Moyes only took over in the summer, the Black Cats have failed to win any of their opening eight matches for the third time in four Premier League seasons.

And while the former Manchester United boss was the choice of many fans to take over from Sam Allardyce, there are sections criticising him for some of the decisions and signings he has made.

Moyes would have preferred to have brought in more new players before the transfer window closed but a number of those he has added have struggled to hit the ground running and adapt quickly to life at the bottom end of the table.

The defeat at Stoke City on Saturday, against a team which had also been winless, acted as a reminder of the problems Sunderland face just to stay in the top-flight this season.

Moyes always felt it was going to be a tough task when he took over from Sam Allardyce and he is focused on transforming the fortunes of the Wearside club.

When he took over at Everton in March 2002 he inherited a club in freefall, having regularly faced battles to beat the drop. Yet, during his 11-year stay at Goodison Park, he turned them from bottom half strugglers into a consistent top eight team.

Challenging for Europe seems a fancy dream for Sunderland supporters at this stage, however, but Moyes is determined to oversee a change of fortunes during his time in charge at the Stadium of Light.

Moyes said: “I definitely have the heart for the battle. When I joined the club it wasn’t because I expected us to be away from where we were.

“I mean it’s a club where it will be a long haul. I do think because of the level of support it has, it has a great chance of another future too, but I knew it would be a real hard task.”

Sunderland’s failure to beat Stoke means they must head into Premier League fixtures with West Ham United, away, and Arsenal, at home, knowing they need to spring a surprise or two.

A failure to collect points in either of those could see the four-point gap to safety widen significantly as Sunderland head into November.

Moyes said: “I think now every game is a big game for us. Every one becomes nearly a must win situation in every one already – each becomes a cup final that we have to try and win from now to end of the season.”

Both Lamine Kone and Patrick van Aanholt will be monitored closely this week in the hope that they will be fit for the trip to West Ham, although it would seem unlikely at this stage.

The chances of Kone, who missed the tip to Stoke with a hamstring problem, figuring are stronger, while none of the other first team injuries are expected back at the London Stadium. Lee Cattermole is constantly being checked too, but no return date has been put on his back problem.

Jan Kirchhoff, Fabio Borini, Vito Mannone and Seb Larsson remain weeks, if not months, away from recovery. Adnan Januzaj should be fit again within a few weeks.

Defender John O’Shea said: “As a unit, we haven’t been able to get a consistency into the team either. That is very important.

“You have seen when we have gone on good runs there has been a consistent team selection. Injuries have gone against us recently, but the boys are working hard to get back.

“The players that we have out, you are possibly talking five, six, seven starters. Take that out of any Premier League team and it will have a massive impact.

“We have to train hard and hopefully it will turn for us.

“There are no hiding places in the Premier League.”