CRISIS club Sunderland need the equivalent of two more wins to avoid being relegated with the lowest points total in the Premiership's ten-year history.
The rock-bottom Wearsiders are currently on 19 points, five fewer than Watford's tally when the Hornets went down under former England manager Graham Taylor three years ago.
Having claimed only two victories in 19 League games since ex-England caretaker boss Howard Wilkinson succeeded Peter Reid as manager in October, reaching 25 points could be a taller order for the Black Cats than it seems.
Sunderland have ten games to play, starting with Saturday's clash with Fulham at Loftus Road. They also face trips to relegation rivals West Ham and Birmingham, and travel to Manchester City and Aston Villa.
But their programme at the Stadium of Light, where they have won only three Premiership games all season and lost nine, is particularly daunting.
Fellow strugglers Bolton and West Brom must visit, along with top-four sides Chelsea, Newcastle and Arsenal.
Sunderland have at least bettered the lowest-ever points total in an English top-flight season; Stoke managed only 17 from 42 games under the existing three-points-for-a-win system in Division One in the 1984-85 campaign, when the Wearsiders were also relegated.
But Wilkinson, who insists he has "never worked so hard'' in trying to turn a club around, refuses to accept that all is already lost.
The former Leeds manager, who won the title at Elland Road 11 years ago, maintains he is in for the long-haul with Sunderland.
And despite being the target of abuse from disillusioned fans, Wilkinson has hailed the Wearside faithful as true supporters - not part of football's "prawn-sandwich brigade''.
The crowd of 42,134 for Saturday's 3-1 home derby defeat by Middlesbrough, was the weekend's highest Premiership attendance.
Wilkinson said: "Despite having two years and two months of less than inspiring results, we still have the fourth-largest average gates in the Premiership and none of those fans could be labelled the prawn-sandwich brigade.
"This is a unique club with a unique set of fans. We are one of the few clubs in the Premiership who are not based in a regional capital.
"Nor do we have the advantage of being a benefactor club in the way that Fulham, Middlesbrough and Blackburn are.
"When I've heard the fans' unhappiness and their abuse sometimes over the last few weeks, I've found it difficult to absorb, but I understand where they're coming from.
"They are passionate people - their unhappiness is the negative side of that passion - but I would rather have that passion in a massive support than have apathy and smaller crowds.
"I'm proud of the fact that this club means so much to them; I can relate to it because I come from the same stock.
"Every setback I've had at Sunderland has only made me more determined to get this club going in the right direction.
"I understand how the fans at this club feel, their passion and - at the moment - their pain.
"And I can promise them we will do everything in our power to revive the fortunes of this club."
l Striker Michael Reddy has extended his loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday for a second month.
* Sunderland forward Kevin Kyle yesterday featured in Scotland's 'future team' in their 1-1 draw in Turkey.
His header set up Andy Gray for the Scots' goal, but he missed the chance to get on the scoresheet when he wasted a simple header from close range
Read more about Sunderland here.
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