PATRICK van Aanholt had been around the block before eventually moving to Sunderland, so that is why he is determined to ensure his big switch last summer does not end in disaster.

The Dutchman was optimistic about his future at the Stadium of Light when he decided to turn his back on Chelsea, where he had graduated through the academy system, for a fresh start on Wearside.

But with the threat of relegation hanging over Sunderland it would be easy to think that the 24-year-old holds regrets, given how he had previously only gone out on loan at Vitesse Arnhem, Wigan, Leicester, Newcastle and Coventry.

Being persuaded to join Sunderland by Gus Poyet in a £1.5m move was different. But he never envisaged that there would be a genuine chance of playing in the Championship next season with just five matches remaining.

Van Aanholt, set to start at Stoke today, said: “I’m not here on loan so it does feel different. I’ve been out on loan a couple of times, and even though you give your all, you always know you’re probably only going to be there for a year and then you’ll go back.

“That won’t happen now, and that’s one of the main reasons why I thought it was time to move on (from Chelsea) and come to Sunderland. From the moment I signed here, I have no regrets.

“I know we have been in the situation we are in, but we’re sticking together like a team and in a month’s time, I am sure we will still be in the Premier League next season.”

Having made his senior team debut in 2009 with Coventry, Van Aanholt has experienced various emotions during his six years playing on the professional stage. That is why he thinks he is well placed to step up to the mark when Dick Advocaat really needs him going in to the final month of the campaign.

He said: “There have been lots of highs and lows this season, but life is all about having ups and downs. You have to enjoy every single day, and that’s what I’m doing.

“I think it’s what the rest of the team is doing as well. We just have to stick together now. We’ve proved a couple of times this season that we can bounce back from difficult games.

“We can do it, we just have to show we can do it again and I’m very positive we will do exactly that. It’s important to keep things in our hands. It’s all up to us. If we win our games, then we will be fine.”

Sunderland have won just one of their last ten matches and a change of manager has also brought a different approach on the training ground and towards tactics at a crucial stage of the season.

With six matches remaining, though, Van Aanholt knows the Black Cats can’t afford a repeat of the horror show against Crystal Palace when Advocaat was stunned to see his team outclassed just six days after the euphoric win over Newcastle.

“We’ve forgotten about the Crystal Palace game now and moved on. I don’t think there’s any pressure,” said the left-back. “We’re still a point above the relegation line so if we win our games, we know we will be all right. I’m very confident we will win those games, and that will mean we are definitely safe.

“We’ve played Stoke twice at home. We lost in the cup, but then three days later we played them again in the league and beat them.

“They’ve got a very physical group, with strong, tall strikers. That’s their game – they don’t really like to play football. They still like to play a long-ball game and a big part of their play is trying to win the second balls. We have to be able to deal with that as a team, and be strong enough to stand up to what they are doing.

“If we win our games and do well, then we will stay up. I’m not worried about what anyone else is doing, I’m just thinking about my own team and our own results. Everyone was surprised (at the Palace game), but we spoke about it and let it go. We’re focused on the next game and making sure it doesn’t happen again.”