Sunderland forward Victor Anichebe insists the squad need to work harder to try and take some of the pressure off star striker Jermain Defoe.

The Black Cats, 1.75 to be relegated this season, currently sit rock bottom of the Premier League after failing to win any of their first seven games.

They sit two points away from safety but they could be in a worse position without Defoe, who has scored four league goals so far.

The 34-year-old kept Sunderland in the top flight last season after scoring 15 goals under then-boss Sam Allardyce.

He has continued to shine for David Moyes but summer signing Anichebe believes he and the squad must do more to help him out.

Anchiebe has yet to start a game this season but he is back in full training after a groin injury and ready to fire for Moyes’ men.

He told the Shields Gazette: “Jermain is really good, you can see that in training every day – his finishing is a joke!

“His movement is great and he helps me too. When we play together in training, he knows where to find me and I know when to give it back to him and stuff like that.

“Watching him, everyone knows he is a really good player and he has carried Sunderland for a long time. “It is up to the team, it is up to everybody to help him, not just me.

We need to start keeping more clean sheets, that is the foundation and getting goals from set pieces, all these sorts of things that other Premier League teams do.

“We will work on that and hopefully it will take some of the pressure off Jermain – even though he thrives on it!”