Sunderland defender Joleon Lescott has said that his wealth of experience in the Premier League can help the Black Cats to avoid relegation this season.
The 34-year-old, who joined up with David Moyes's side last month, has more than 300 top-flight appearances under his belt with Manchester City, Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa.
Lescott was part of the Villa side that got relegated last term, and also suffered a similar fate with Wolves in 2004, but he thinks that those failures will serve as useful assets in Sunderland's battle against the drop.
"It's not just relegation-battle experience, it is Premier League experience," he told The Chronicle. "I'm yet to meet a foreign player who doesn't say that this is the most physically demanding league they have played in, so the more experience of that you have, the better.
"We've been here before, but it is not going to be easy. It's not a given [that Sunderland will stay up], but we are fully confident that we can achieve [it]. It is a big challenge and the stakes are the same, but the lads have been in this situation before so hopefully I won't need to draw on my experiences last season – but if need be, I will do so.
"The lads know what needs to happen, they know we have to fight to the end."
Lescott, who joined Sunderland after three months with Greek side AEK Athens, made his debut in the 4-0 rout at Crystal Palace last weekend, coming on for the injured John O'Shea in the 57th minute.
Neil Wilkes
