Gus Poyet hints at dropping Vito Mannone

Sunderland manager Gus Poyet has indicated that he is ready to drop goalkeeper Vito Mannone.

The Italian shipped eight goals against Southampton last weekend and another error on Saturday contributed to their 2-0 defeat to Arsenal at the Stadium of Light.

Poyet has stressed that he is not one for knee-jerk reactions, but has admitted that Mannone's recent form is a concern.

He told reporters: "Normally I don't change the keeper when they have a bad game.

"Sometimes, you need to accept mistakes in the overall performance, be it from a keeper, a manager or a No. 9. But if it's two bad games, then he starts to have a problem."

Mannone, 26, has been preferred to summer signing Costel Pantilimon after being named Sunderland's Player of the Year last season, but now the former Manchester City stopper could be given his chance.