Sunderland midfielder David Vaughan has admitted that his side are feeling the weight of expectation after an indifferent run of form on Wearside.
The Black Cats are without a win since January and were held by Norwich City last weekend, despite playing with a man advantage for most of the match.
Vaughan believes that a lack of confidence is a major factor in Sunderland's struggles as the pressure mounts on Martin O'Neill at the Stadium of Light.
He told The Mirror: "We are on a bad run and it is difficult to keep confidence high.
"If I knew what had gone wrong and what has been missing this season, I would be the next manager of Barcelona. That's the key question, isn't it? Maybe it's about finding that spark, a bit of luck or a goal that turns a game in our favour, something we did a few times last season. It is hard to accept that we are in this situation. When you look at the squad we have, we should not be in the position we are in.
"But the fact is we are where we are and that is down to us players, coaching staff and everyone at the club. It is our fault, nobody else's, and it's up to us to get ourselves out of this. There is pressure on us right now. You do feel it before games, but once you go out on the pitch you put that to back of your mind and concentrate on playing football."
Sunderland are four points clear of the relegation zone ahead of their next match at home to Manchester United on Saturday, March 30.
Liam Power
