In reality , Dick Advocaat has six games to save Sunderland 's season and his own proud record of never having been relegated . For you can as good as write off the last two matches of this desperate campaign , trips to Arsenal and Chelsea . Sunderland have not won away in 2015 and there is no evidence to suggest they will start to do so at the home of top-four opponents . Sunderland interim manager Dick Advocaat has said his side will play 'ugly ' football if they need to . Advocaat 's Sunderland debut was marred by a 1-0 defeat at West Ham thanks to Diafra Sakho 's late goal . West Ham striker Nene ( left ) jumps for the ball alongside Sunderland defender Patrick van Aanholt ( right ) Advocaat set out with beautiful intent at West Ham , naming three strikers having 24 hours earlier rubbished mention of his defensive reputation — but things have very quickly got ugly . 'The only important thing in the final games is winning , ' said the 67-year-old , whose Premier League debut ended in defeat when Diafra Sakho struck two minutes from time . 'The way we do that is not important . So if we win games very ugly I like that . We will play very negative if the need is there . ' Advocaat has given his players the early part of the week off , an agreed rest period which is the legacy of Gus Poyet 's ill-fated reign . The Dutchman joked that the club do n't have too many international players so their preparations for the visit of North-East rivals Newcastle a week on Sunday will not be disrupted . That , you feel , is a match Sunderland must now win . By a quirk of footballing fate , previous bosses Paolo Di Canio and Poyet both enjoyed derby victories in their second match in charge . Sunderland winger Adam Johnson prepares to strike the ball after coming on as a substitute on Saturday . For Advocaat , it is arguably his most winnable game of the eight remaining . Defeat is not an option . 'Being at home in derbies gives a big advantage , ' he added . ' I know the intensity of these games — I was involved many times in Rangers against Celtic . ' I made the mistake of perhaps not realising that at first and I lost 5-1 . 'But Newcastle for us now is the most important thing . We have a good period to practise and I think the ( international ) break is a good thing . I have time now to see what my best line-up will be . ' Hammers boss Sam Allardyce , meanwhile , has been linked with the Sunderland post at the end of the season . He , however , wants a new deal at Upton Park after seeing his side climb to ninth . ' I do n't know why people have speculated about me and Sunderland , ' he said . ' I 'm doing what I did here in my second year , my contract was running out then . 'At the end of the season we will look at the squad . We have to get more players in to build the club and make sure we sustain the growth we are achieving at this point in time . ' West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce has dismissed speculation linking him to the Sunderland job .
Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat faces a challenge to keep them up this season . His Premier League debut ended in a 5-0 defeat at the hands of West Ham . Advocaat says his side will play 'ugly ' if they need to in order to win games .