SEB LARSSON thinks Sunderland are heading in the right direction despite sitting far too close to the Premier League’s relegation zone for comfort.

A fifth draw from the opening six matches has ensured the Black Cats have collected points this season, but Gustavo Poyet’s team are still waiting for a first league win.

Sunderland threatened to deliver that elusive victory against Swansea City on Saturday only to come up short in the final third.

The result means Sunderland, who have another home game against Stoke next Saturday, are still struggling at the wrong end of the division – even if Larsson is not concerned about things yet.

Larsson said: “I don't look at league tables in September, so I don't know where we are. It is so early in the season and it all depends on how we look at things.

“Some will look at it negatively but I don't. I believe if we keep performing like that we will pick up enough points. I don't know when we will get that win. It depends on how you choose to look at it. You could say we have not won a game yet, on the other hand we have lost just one.

“You have got to take the positives. In certain games this season we have been disappointed that we have not threatened the goal enough.

“I don't think you could accuse us of that here, even before they went down to ten men. We did most things well especially in the second half. You have got to win the games like that so there is still work to do.”

Sunderland created plenty of chances against Swansea, but were unable to find the breakthrough. Once again, though, Poyet’s strikers failed to find the net, with Connor Wickham and Steven Fletcher wasting good chances.

Larsson said: “Obviously we want our strikers to start scoring goals but we all have to chip in and we have created enough chances in other games. If we do that they will drop eventually. The dressing room is a frustrated one but also a positive one.”

The second half introduction of Ricky Alvarez did inject some new life in to Sunderland and the belief is that winning matches will come if they repeat the standards set against Swansea.

“Ricky has not been with us long but we can see he has that bit extra. He created chances and he is going to become a big player for us,” said Larsson. “Swansea are a team that we have struggled against in the past because they have so much possession. We controlled the game but we couldn't find the winning goal.”