DAVID MOYES is hoping Manchester City’s defensive vulnerability will enable Jermain Defoe to kick-start Sunderland’s survival bid with a surprise success at the Stadium of Light tomorrow.

The Black Cats host a City side that have scored five goals in each of their last two outings, but while their opponents’ attacking strengths are obvious, Moyes has identified some defensive chinks he is hoping to exploit.

City conceded three goals to Monaco three games ago, and have shipped 29 league goals this season, more than Everton and Middlesbrough.

Sunderland are three points adrift of safety at the foot of the table, but in Defoe, boast one of the Premier League’s most reliable marksmen. The former England international tends the convert the majority of chances that come his way, and Moyes is hoping Manchester City’s expansive attacking style plays into his leading goalscorer’s hands.

“I think we’ll have to sit men behind the ball at first because they’ll have a lot of it,” said the Sunderland boss. “They’re very good on the ball so obviously we’ve got to try and stop them having too much of it, disrupt them, get round them, make it hard for them, which every team does against them.

“On the attacking front, we have to see if we can try and pick up on any defensive lapses they’ve got. Sometimes, if City are open and want to leave Jermain one-v-one or even two-v-one with big spaces, Jermain can exploit that.

“He’s good at that. That’s something we may get the opportunity to do, it’s whether we are then capable of finding Jermain. Whether it be with the right ball or the right quality of ball, we’ll need to try and do that.”

Some of Manchester City’s perceived defensive vulnerabilities have been attributed to John Stones, a player Moyes knows only too well given that he signed him for Everton.

Moyes shelled out £3m to sign Stones from Barnsley in 2013, and always anticipated the centre-half developing into a top-class defender.

Opinion remains divided on just how good he could be, with some claiming Stones has to learn how to do the ‘ugly’ side of a defender’s duties. Moyes concedes there are areas for improvement, but continues to regard the 22-year-old as one of England’s brightest defensive prospects for years.

“I always thought he would become a really good player because he had natural calmness on the ball, not coached, this was his style on the ball,” he said. “As he gets older he will develop the defensive instincts because maybe that’s one of the question marks (against him) at the moment.

“But as a type, as somebody who wants to do the right thing and improve all day long, he’s got that. He’s a good boy who tries to do all the right things to make himself a better player and England should be thinking they’re really fortunate.

“For many years, they’ve been saying it’s the sort of player they would like to have. Rio Ferdinand was great at taking the ball out from the back and John Stones is of a similar ilk.

“I think there are still parts of his overall defending which you have to do – you have to be a centre-half that heads the ball and kicks it away. That’s part of the job and part of it is being aggressive at the right times.

“It’s about having the knowledge John Terry has or Jamie Carragher had to get in the right positions to defend crosses and balls into the box. Those sort of things come from a bit of experience and nous, but he’s got abilities which maybe some of those other people haven’t, a real natural ability to be calm on the ball.”

Papy Djilobodji is not quite in the same class, but Moyes is nevertheless pleased to be able to welcome the centre-half back into the Sunderland squad. Djilobodji has completed a four-match ban, but could find himself on the substitutes’ bench with Moyes set to keep faith with Lamine Kone and John O’Shea.

“We need to have a look, watch his (Djilobodji’s) training,” said the Black Cats boss. “I am glad to have him back in the squad because we need numbers.”

Steven Pienaar is unavailable for tomorrow’s game, with Jack Rodwell regarded as a major doubt as he continues to struggle with injury. Jan Kirchhoff is back in full training, having recovered from a knee ligament problem, but the influential German will not be risked against City as Moyes attempts to ensure his availability for the remainder of the campaign.

“He won’t be in the squad,” he said. “He’s training, but he just needs more time. He’s just not quite ready. He’s a big man and he needs a bit of oiling to get going, get up and running. We’ll hopefully have him ready for the next game.

“He had a problem in his knee in a game when we thought he was back, but I hope he’s fine with it (now) because he’s an important player for us. It’s just coming maybe a bit too soon.”