Sam Allardyce admits he faces a mammoth task as he attempts to lift Sunderland out of the bottom three.

The former Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and West Ham boss has also said that he thinks the Black Cats are the “relegation favourites” following the 1-0 home defeat to Southampton.

Sunderland have only won one of their first 12 Premier League matches of the campaign and are four points away from safety. They are 1.20 to be relegated this season and 6.00 to win their next Premier League match at Crystal Palace on Monday 23rd November.

“We are relegation favourites because we are in the bottom three and getting out of the bottom three is a long haul now,” said Allardyce.

“When you have got fewer points than games, then we have got a mammoth task just to get out of the trouble we are in at the moment. It’s going to be difficult to get where we need to get.”

Allardyce is keen to bolster a defence that has already conceded 26 goals this season – the worst record in the top-flight. Reports suggest the Black Cats are keen to sign the French left-back Arthur Masuaku in January so that there is some competition for Patrick van Aanholt in that position.

The 22-year-old has been with the Greek side Olympiakos since the summer of 2014 having come though the youth team ranks at Valenciennes in his homeland.

He was linked with a transfer to Genoa earlier this year but remains with Olympiakos, who are on course to qualify for the last-16 of the Champions League.