Sunderland appear to have found a relegation hero in Jermain Defoe, whose goals to this point have proved crucial in their battle to avoid the drop. The veteran striker proved exactly why he is crucial to their survival again at the weekend against Liverpool, scoring a goal in the 89th minute to secure a fantastic point for the club.
Since, Sam Allardyce has hailed his striker as a "saviour," with this not his first vital goal of the season. Allardyce had seen his side go 2-0 down but, with only ten minutes left to play, his squad showed the fight and spirit needed to salvage a point that could prove to go a long way in helping his team avoid relegation.
Fighting spirit
Allardyce admitted that he "didn't see that coming" when talking about the result, as he didn't think it was "possible" after falling two goals behind at Anfield. However, he knows that "a bit of quality" can go a long way, and that's exactly what happened.
The result will provide a huge confidence boost to everyone on Wearside, and Allardyce stated that the draw was a "great compliment to the players never giving in" and that is the spirit they will need to continue showing.
Sunderland have been improving their performances on the pitch and haven't played in fear in recent games against the Premier League's giants, such as Liverpool and Manchester City - the latter a game where they arguably deserved a point but couldn't take their chances.
Allardyce believes they "may not have deserved" the draw they took from Anfield, but insists his side took their chances to earn a "precious" point.
New blood
The manager also hailed the performance of his newest signings in the draw with the Reds. He believes they are "making a difference" to his team already, even though "they have just got here," which is a testament to his business during the January transfer window.
The Sunderland boss is now just hoping that his new blood can continue to "shine through" as they will be needed if the club is to "get out of trouble."
For now, Allardyce insists that they have adapted well and are "staying with the pace of the game," but even though his new signings are impressing, it's the experienced Defoe that has impressed Big Sam the most.
Veteran instinct
Defoe's performances this season have proven that he is going to be a deciding factor in Sunderland's survival, and having a player of his ability and experience in the team is going to be influential - not only on the pitch but off it as well.
Allardyce believes his recent games showcase that Defoe "still has it" and that all his side needs to do is "provide him with more chances" and he will continue to score goals that could be the reason the club stays up.