Sam - 'The Pressure Game'

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Sam: Pressure on for Palace game (February 28 2016)

Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce has described Tuesday's clash with Crystal Palace as a “massive pressure game”.

The Black Cats lost 1-0 to Allardyce's former club West Ham on Saturday but wasted a number of chances to earn something from the contest.

Palace were also beaten - 3-2 at West Brom - leaving Alan Pardew and his players looking nervously over their shoulders at the Premier League relegation zone.

But Allardyce is hopeful his side can build on their improved performance against the Hammers when they face the Eagles on Tuesday night at the Stadium of Light.

"We must hope that if we continue to play like that we'll get the victories we need very quickly," he said.

"We've made a massive pressure game for ourselves on Tuesday night when we play Palace at home and then it's Southampton away.

"We have to pick points up in both of those games because after that we don't play for two weeks.

"If the teams around us win, then that distance becomes even greater and more pressure comes on us.

"The next two games we have to deliver at least four points, hopefully more, but we've put a lot of pressure on ourselves."

Sunderland go into the midweek fixtures in 19th place, just one point from safety.