Moyes is backed to get Sunderland winning again

DAVID MOYES says he still has not found the antidote to the ‘poison’ of Sunderland’s toxic Premier League start — but insists he retains the support of owner Ellis Short.

Sunderland are the only club in the top seven tiers of English football yet to win a league game this season. Today’s lunchtime visit of in-form Arsenal threatens to add to Moyes’ woes.

‘At the moment I have not been able to find a style or a group of players to win a game. We have found it difficult,’ Moyes said. ‘I think that whoever was going to make this club better was going to take a lot of poison until you get to the other side. I’m having to take my poison just now. I hope by the end it goes away.

‘We have a level of player here. Then we’ll have to put another level of bricks on, then another level. Sometimes this isn’t what people want to hear.’ Moyes admitted that he may run out of time to complete the rebuilding. ‘We need results to show that things are going in the right direction,’ he said.

‘I don’t feel that pressure from the people I work with. But you can’t keep losing. You have to pick up wins. I’m a big boy and I know that needs to happen.’

Moyes has spoken with Short this week. ‘Ellis is fine. He has been very supportive. It has all been good,’ he said.

Moyes is taking his players on a visit to the Nissan factory next week as part of an effort to improve relations with the community.

‘There are a lot of things to change, more so on the field at this moment in time. But there are a lot of others things we’d like to do better.’