Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe has insisted that the team's confidence remains high, despite suffering a heavy defeat to Everton last weekend.

The Black Cats, who appointed Sam Allardyce as manager last month, were on the end of a 6-2 hammering from the Merseyside club at Goodison Park last Sunday.

"I don't think Everton's knocked our confidence, it's just frustration because the game could have been so different," The Chronicle quotes Defoe as saying.

"At 2-2 you just give yourself an opportunity to get a point or win it, especially from set-pieces. We practise set pieces now during the week and the day before the game.

"The preparation's spot on, so we do everything that we need to do at the weekend. If you're in the game, then you never know."

Sunderland will take on Southampton at the Stadium of Light this weekend.