Gus Poyet ready to make "strong decisions" at Sunderland

Sunderland boss Gus Poyet has claimed that he is ready to make some "strong decisions" at the club in an attempt to turn their form around.

The Black Cats lost 1-0 to Liverpool on Saturday, and Poyet's side have won just one Premier League game of their last 12.

He told BBC Sport: "Sometimes you are a little bit too relaxed, and in the first half we did virtually nothing, and just waited for Liverpool to score. The results are a consequence of the way you play or the way you try to play. And I think the frustration is more from where I am expecting to see my team.

"We are still far far away from where I want them to be. We need to find a good balance, and I am going to make some decisions that are going to be quite strong, because that is what the team needs now."

The Uruguayan also had few complaints with Liam Bridcutt's sending off for two bookable offences at the Stadium of Light.

"If you go by the rules, the strict rules, then I can side with the referee," he added. "Yes, they are both yellow cards because they stop the play and by the rules, they are yellows."

The defeat leaves the Black Cats 15th in the Premier League table, with only three wins to their name all season.