IN normal circumstances, a 1-1 draw at Leeds United would represent a decent return. These are far from routine times for Sunderland, though, and so as he reflected on his side’s efforts at Elland Road, Chris Coleman conceded a point was unlikely to be enough to prevent the Black Cats slipping into League One.

Seven points adrift of safety with five games remaining, Sunderland will entertain Norwich City on Tuesday knowing they will have to pull off an act of escapology to trump anything they achieved during their time in the Premier League if they are to avoid the ignominy of dropping into the third tier for only the second time in their history.

Paddy McNair’s 48th-minute strike gave them hope at Elland Road, but Pablo Hernandez’s equaliser proved a damaging blow for a Leeds side that hit the woodwork on two separate occasions.

Sunderland also hit the crossbar with an Ashley Fletcher header, but while he was satisfied with his players’ performance, a characteristically honest Coleman admitted it was unlikely to be enough.

“A point's not enough,” said Coleman. “It was never going to be enough for us, we needed the three. The performance was more than enough, it was good.

“You know when you come to Eland Road and get a point it's a good point because it's such a hard place to come but the result's not enough.

“We need to win five games of football, and we've won six all season. We're right up against it, no doubt. It's not impossible but it's a big ask, a tall order.

“The last three games we've shown the level of performance I've been looking for consistently since I arrived and I've not had it. We've done it now and again.

“We need to maintain that to give ourselves a chance, but we're running out of games and results around us are not helping.”

Coleman reserved special praise for McNair, who was a powerful presence at the heart of midfield as he claimed his second goal of the season.

The Northern Ireland international has been plagued by injury throughout his Sunderland career, and it is hard not to wonder if things might have been different had he been available for the whole of the season.

“He changes your life, Paddy McNair, when he's fit and in midfield covering the ground with his physicality,” said Coleman. “He's done very, very well in there with George Honeyman and Lee Cattermole. They've got a good blend and a good chemistry.

“His goal was great and he maybe should have scored after that. We look a different team with Paddy in it.

“Cruciate ligament is a phrase everybody in football winces at but he's come back from that, it's taken him time but he looks good now, he looks strong.

“If we are serious about building a team here, it's got to be with him in it. If the unthinkable happens this club has got back from it before. It's not easy but it's do-able.”