KEVIN PHILLIPS confessed last night that Sunderland's flops are sick and tired of being losers.

As Sunderland close in on the most unwanted of records - the most successive League defeats in the club's history - Phillips warned Chelsea would face a backlash on Saturday. The Black Cats have lost their last eight Premiership matches - one game short of the worst run in their 124 years of existence, which they set in the 1976-77 season.

Phillips, 29, said: "Everyone is just fed up with being in a losing dressing room and we want to change that on Saturday.

"We'll be up for it against Chelsea. We've not really got anything to lose and we've got to try to play with confidence.

"Dare I say it, we have a good record against Chelsea at the Stadium of Light. They're on a roll at the moment, but you never know - we could beat them."

Phillips admitted he was "surprised" to make his first appearance for Sunderland's reserves when they met Leeds United on Tuesday night. He added: "I was a little surprised to be playing, but considering that we haven't had a game for a week-and-a-half, none of us had a problem with it.

"It was good to have a run out, I felt quite sharp and now I'm looking forward to Saturday."

Claudio Reyna last night revealed he is resigned to Sunderland being relegated, but claimed the club would make an immediate return to English football's elite. He said: "I'll miss the Premiership, but I'm sure we'll be back straight away.

"This season turned bad very quickly, but a League like the Premiership can do that to you."

Tore Andre Flo has been told by Norway coach Nils Johan Semb that he needs to play Premiership football to keep alive his international career. Semb said: "Flo is with a club that is struggling and one that is most likely to go down. That's not ideal."

Read more about Sunderland here.