Irish Daily Mail

Moyes admits only a miracle can save Cats

- MIKE KEEGAN

DAVID MOYES admitted Sunderland need a miracle to avoid the drop, but he is taking solace from previous unlikely escapes.

The Scot was frank after a disappoint­ing stalemate with poor travellers Burnley.

‘We are getting close to needing something special,’ Moyes said. ‘It’s been done here regularly. I’m not kidding anyone, it’ll need some really big results. This was two points dropped.’

The result leaves Sunderland seven points from safety in front of watching chairman Ellis Short — present for the first time since March.

They face Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United before the season ends.

‘There is a chance,’ a determined Moyes added. ‘You’d be disappoint­ed if I said we had no chance. It’s been done. We know it will be difficult.’

Burnley, who dominated the first half before spending most of the second on the back foot, picked up just a third point of the season on the road. But Sean Dyche’s men head into the internatio­nal break eight points above the drop zone thanks to nine wins at Turf Moor.

‘Everybody will be happy with that,’ said Clarets midfielder Scott Arfield. ‘At the end of the season if we are still in this division it doesn’t really matter where you pick up your points.’ SUPER STAT: A third point on the road this season takes Burnley level with Derby’s Premier League record-low away total from 2007-08. SUNDERLAND (4-3-3): Pickford 7; Jones 5.5, O’Shea 6, Denayer 5.5, Oviedo 5; Larsson 6.5 (Khazri 78, 6), Rodwell 6, Gibson 6 (Ndong 74, 6); Januzaj 6, Borini 6, Defoe 5.5. Subs not used: Mannone, Djilobodji, Lescott, Manquillo, Honeyman. Booked: Gibson, Borini, Jones. BURNLEY (4-4-2): Heaton 7; Lowton 6.5, Keane 6.5, Mee 6, Ward 6; Boyd 6 (Brady 74, 5.5), Barton 6, Hendrick 6, Arfield 6.5; Barnes 6 (Vokes 65, 6), Gray 6. Subs not used: Robinson, Flanagan, Defour, Westwood, Tarkowski. Booked: Barton. Man of the match: Tom Heaton. Referee: Bobby Madley 7.

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