Chris Coleman explains why it’s even more difficult for him than Simon Grayson at Sunderland

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Sunderland are currently sat at the bottom of the Championship table.

Sunderland boss Chris Coleman has told the Sunderland Echo how things have become even more difficult at the Stadium of Light since he took charge.

Sunderland were struggling for any sort of form when Simon Grayson was in charge, and won just one Championship match under his stewardship.

But Coleman feels that the challenge at Sunderland is only becoming harder due to his side’s injury problems.

The Black Cats have a number of their first-team players on the treatment table right now.

And Coleman said: “Before I arrived I looked at the squad and I thought ‘okay’ there’s five, six seven players out missing, and now it’s 11.

“It amplifies the challenge, if we don’t do better in terms of numbers and quickly establish who wants to be here and in a relegation dogfight and who want to help out in the spotlight with all the pressure and take responsibility.

“The boys out there on the pitch, they’re the ones who are there or thereabouts and we need to help them and get some boys back from injury while getting in some fresh faces.”

Sunderland have improved since Coleman took charge, but they have still struggled to put together a run of positive results.

Sunderland’s wins have come in insolation and, as a result, they haven’t been able to escape the drop zone.

Sunderland are currently sat at the bottom of the Championship table, and there are genuine concerns that they could suffer back-to-back relegations unless they improve quickly.

The Black Cats are thought to be keen to add quality in the January transfer window, which could help to increase Coleman’s options over the second half of the campaign.