SUNDERLAND are looking up the Premier League table rather than down it as they plan to finish strongly this season.

Victory against Newcastle last weekend was followed up with an insipid display against Crystal Palace, where a 4-1 defeat left the Black Cats three points away from the drop zone with five games left to play this season.

But Connor Wickham, who scored Sunderland’s consolation goal at the Stadium of Light, prefers to look on their current predicament in a positive light.

Sunderland do not have a game this weekend, with original opponents Arsenal in FA Cup semi-final action at Wembley, and Wickham explained that head coach Dick Advocaat has been putting the extra time with the squad to good use.

"It's been a long season so far but we're in a positive position,” Wickham told SAFSEE. “We didn't have the best result last weekend but we've been playing well under the new manager and we can use this weekend to get our training and preparation right and move forward to the next game.

"We'll keep an eye on what goes on around us. We can use that to our advantage, we'll know what to do and what we need to produce.

“We're not looking down the table, we're looking up. We could have one win and move three places. There's a lot of points to play for and hopefully we can dig us out of the hole.”

Wickham has started all three of Advocaat’s games so far, and the former Ipswich striker revealed his delight at the Dutchman’s faith in the striker whose goals at the back end of last season ensured Sunderland’s Premier League status.

"He said from day one what he wants, we've had lots of meetings and he's explained what he wants us to do,” said Wickham. “He's set a high standard, it's good that we've got a setup and a formation.

"He pulled me on his second day and asked me what my preferred position was and how I'd feel about playing behind the two strikers and it was positive that I had someone who asked me that.

“ I felt I was being taken into consideration and it made me feel important.”