Boss David Moyes is adamant Sunderland are starting to play better despite the fact they are yet to win in the Premier League this season.

The Black Cats, 1.44 to be relegated, have only picked up two points so far and sit rock bottom of the league table.

Their last win came in the EFL Cup in September, with a 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers giving the club a lift. They will get another welcome distraction on Wednesday night when they travel to Southampton in the same competition.

Moyes’ side were left disappointed again last weekend when they conceded a 94th-minute goal to West Ham to miss out on any points.

They have lost to Crystal Palace, Stoke and the Hammers in the last few weeks but Moyes believes he saw some encouraging sides during the defeat to Slaven Bilic’s team. “I think it was bad luck this weekend,” Moyes told reporters.

“I don’t always look for that reason but I genuinely think we ran out of luck. “It’s our own fault we turned our back on a corner kick and we didn’t get back in position quickly enough to deal with it.

“But, from my point of view, the goal is offside and the player is standing directly in the line of the goalkeeper, so I think we earned the right to have that goal as an offside goal.

“We had worked really hard and earned our point, had actually played well in the second half at times. Overall, I have said to the players, there were a lot of good things.

Again, it is getting a little better as we go along. It is not easy to take but I am sure it will improve.”