Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce has called on his players to improve on their display against Crystal Palace in their Premier League clash with Stoke City.

The Black Cats clinched their second win of the campaign on Monday at Selhurst Park by defeating the Eagles 1-0 through a strike from Jermain Defoe.

Allardyce believes that his team will have to raise the level of their game to secure a second successive victory in the top flight when they face the Potters at the Stadium of Light.

He told the club's official website: "The challenge for the players is, can you beat Stoke now and get back-to-back wins for the first time this season? Can you strive to work harder than you did Monday night and show more ability on the ball to send the Sunderland fans happy on Saturday afternoon?

"There are 40,000 of them who want to enjoy their weekend so that is the challenge for the players – can they get better than there were on Monday because I think they will need to be better to beat Stoke City.

"I don't think they've conceded a goal away from home since September which is why they're doing so well now. They are solid and there unity is giving them a platform to win games, and where there defence is so good and so rock-solid they have scored one goal in each of their last away games and come away with three points."

Sunderland are 18th in the Premier League ahead of their clash with Mark Hughes's men.