Sam Allardyce: 'Sunderland can't afford to lose to Norwich City'

Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce has described next weekend's relegation crunch match against Norwich City as a must-not-lose game.

The Black Cats failed to close the four-point gap between themselves and the 17th-placed Canaries this afternoon as they fell to a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Leicester City.

However, Sunderland do have a game in hand over Alex Neil's side, and Allardyce believes that makes it more important to avoid defeat at Carrow Road than it is to get the win.

"Don't lose at Norwich, don't lose - they are seven points clear if we lose with five games to go. It still wouldn't be mathematically certain, but it starts heaping too much pressure on," he told reporters.

"We'll try to win, but make sure you don't lose because don't forget, we have still got a game in hand."

Sunderland, who are winless in their last six games, face Arsenal, Stoke City, Chelsea, Everton and Watford after next weekend's meeting with Norwich.