IT is 44 years since Sunderland, under the guidance of Bob Stokoe, won the FA Cup. Given the precarious position David Moyes’ class of 2017 finds itself in, you’d think the last thing the current squad needs is a run to Wembley.

Try telling that to Moyes. The Black Cats boss, even if he will be forced to rest a player or three against Burnley this afternoon, wants to win the FA Cup third round tie and give everyone a little excitement in the latter stages.

Is it possible? Maybe not, given the extent of the list of absentees Sunderland have ahead of the visit of a Premier League rival which knocked the stuffing out of them post-Christmas at Turf Moor. Moyes, however, wants the team he puts out to do everything within its power to progress.

“The players should be saying 'Get us out there, it's a cup tie',” said Moyes. “But I think because of the strains and the pressures of the Premier League at times, sometimes it can take the focus away from the cup.

“It shouldn't, because you don't really realise (the excitement) until you get through a round or two, it's getting through these early rounds.

“If you don't, people say that it's better you're out. Once you get through, you start to think 'Oh, isn't it great? We're all excited by the draw.' I want to get through.”

Moyes led Everton to the FA Cup final in 2009 when Chelsea edged them out; the closest he came to silverware during his time in charge at Goodison Park.

He is well aware of the length of time Sunderland fans have waited for glory, even if he is not completely sure of Stokoe’s giant-killing side.

“I would never have got that team ... I better get my history books looked up. I think I was three then! You want to get through in the FA Cup,” said Moyes.

“The League Cup can be a bit different, although I wanted to get through in that. I was gutted we didn't get a late penalty against Southampton because we could have been in the semi-finals.

“That could have kept our profile up in other ways. If we can get through on Saturday ... but, hey, it's a tough game for us, isn't it?”

Burnley humiliated a dire Sunderland on New Year’s Eve when relegation concerns were heightened. However, a battling and spirited 2-2 draw with Liverpool two days later raised hope once more.

That point ensured Sunderland’s only defeat on home turf since October was against Chelsea and Moyes feels the results at the Stadium of Light will be vital between now and the end of the season.

He said: “It's a good stat to show some form of progress and to show that we're trying. When we came here we knew we had to try to win more games at home. If we didn't, then you very rarely win that many games away from home.

“I think the record of actual wins at the club over the years is still not good enough. We've only got four this year, I think. So we're nowhere near enough.

“But we know at the Stadium of Light recently we've done well. We have to try on Saturday to see if we can use it to get us through. We've got a home draw in the cup, we've got to try to use it to try to get through to the next round.”

Moyes plans to make a few changes this afternoon, which could see a young player or two involved after their recent involvement on the bench.

The Sunderland boss, expected to name Jermain Defoe on the bench, said: “We've got two or three who've been around it, some because of necessity, some because we want them around it.

“But we've had some of them even getting injuries, so even they've had to be juggled around a little bit, on the bench and off the bench.

“Ethan (Robson) and Elliott (Embleton) have both trained well, two young midfielder players. (Josh) Maja and Joel (Asoro), the two centre forwards. Michael Ledger was around the squad because of our shortage of centre-halves. Sometimes in football that's how you get your opportunities, by injuries or suspensions.

“Everybody knows we're really short on numbers, so there's a good chance that some of these boys could be seen and if they do then it's up to them to prove themselves and see what they can do.”

SUNDERLAND: Mika; Love, Ledger, O’Shea, Manquillo; Rodwell, Larsson; Januzaj, Honeyman, Borini; Asoro.