Sunderland midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng has said that it is crucial that his side are victorious in their Premier League match against West Ham United on Monday evening.
The Black Cats are currently 18th in the table and are three points away from moving out of the relegation zone.
They suffered a 2-1 defeat against Liverpool in midweek, but Ki believes that their performance at Anfield has given the players a platform to build upon for their upcoming fixtures.
"We're all aware of what we need to do in the next game; it's crucial," he told the club's official website. "If we get three points from that one it could see us move up the table and close the gap.
"Of course it's possible, going into the game after a confidence-boosting performance at Anfield.
"We're the home team and West Ham are coming to play us; we need to match them and take the game to them to make sure we take something from it."
South Korean international Ki is on a season-long loan deal from Swansea City.
Alex Meyers
