SUNDERLAND have already taken points from Manchester United and Tottenham this season, but Emanuele Giaccherini admits getting a result against Burnley will be just as important in the Black Cats’ quest to avoid another relegation fight.

Gus Poyet’s squad travel to Turf Moor this afternoon looking for their first win of the campaign against one of the league’s newly-promoted teams.

The Wearsiders have enjoyed a steady start to the season having picked up three draws, while they have only tasted defeat once to fellow new boys Queens Park Rangers.

Poyet knows a win this afternoon will turn a steady start into an encouraging one, but Sean Dyche’s side are also desperate to claim their first win since returning to the top flight.

In last season’s flirtation with relegation, Sunderland dropped points against a number of their rivals at the bottom with their best results coming against teams in the top six.

Giaccherini admits taking points from the top teams is satisfying for the squad, but insists there is a higher importance on beating those likely to be battling near the bottom.

“Obviously Burnley is a different team to Tottenham and Manchester United,” the Italian said. “Less quality but more attitude, more determination.

“It will be a tougher game, and for us it’s important to win.

“Burnley are aiming for survival, and three points against them will be very, very good.

“This game is very important because if you lose, it’s three points to the other team. I prefer to lose against Manchester United.”

Sunderland came from behind twice to earn a draw against Spurs at the Stadium of Light, despite Mauricio Pochettino’s side dominating proceedings.

Giaccherini believes last weekend’s game is one the side would have probably lost not so long ago, but under Poyet the team has developed a new-found determination.

He said: “It was a tough game against Tottenham and, for me, a very good point. Until ten minutes before the end it’s a game we were going to lose.

“But we demonstrated character and determination to not lose. Now we need a win.

“Maybe last season we would have lost that game but this season we’ve started well. The games against Tottenham and Manchester United and the two at West Brom and QPR, we have three points.

“But now we need to win.”

The former Juventus midfielder is pushing for his first start of the campaign this afternoon, but one player almost guaranteed a place in the side is Patrick van Aanholt.

As the club’s only natural left-back, the Dutch defender has started every league game, but he isn’t taking his spot for granted.

“I’m still learning. I’m still young, I’m still only 24,” van Aanholt said. “Every week and every day I am learning. I’m very happy with the manager. He has talked to me a lot and is helping me and all the team a lot.

“I’ve already played quite a lot of first team football. I played a lot of games in Holland and in the Champions League for Chelsea. I’ve been out on loan a few times as well so I have played a lot of first team games. The Premier League is the toughest league, though, and for me I am still learning.

“He (Poyet) likes us to keep the ball and play out from the back and create chances. I like that, because that’s my kind of style.”

Van Aanholt has already earned his first senior international cap with Holland, although he was not involved in Louis van Gaal’s World Cup Squad.

While the former Chelsea left-back admits it would be nice to return to the Dutch squad in the future, the 24-year-old insists he is only focused on impressing for Sunderland for the time being.

He said: “Hopefully at some point I will get back in the squad, but at the moment I am not worrying about Holland.

“I just focus on Sunderland and if I do well here I might get a call. If I don’t get called up that means I’ve got to work harder and prove myself more.”