Jermain Defoe the key to survival for Sunderland

Sunderland face a crucial home clash with Arsenal at the Stadium of Light on Sunday, with the Black Cats fighting to preserve their Premier League status for next season.

The fight for Premier League survival has become an annual event at the Stadium of Light and it usually results in the Black Cats surviving. One player who could be the key to their survival this season is diminutive striker Jermain Defoe, who has now scored 13 Premier League goals this season.

The former-England striker has a knack of scoring important goals and has now scored 141 goals in the Premier League. The 33-year-old has always scored goals throughout his career, even when he was not always considered a first choice starter like in his spells at Tottenham.

Unlike the other clubs at the bottom of the table the Blacks Cats do possess a prolific goal threat in the shape of Defoe. At times during Sam Allardyce’s reign he has not always favoured Defoe, as he believed that the former-England star could not play up front on his own.

However, the strikers’ performances this season have proven the former-West Ham boss wrong, as even in a team that has struggled for goals Jermain Defoe has shone.

Defoe’s enthusiasm and hunger for goals shows no sign of abating and he continues to be a pest to opposition defences.

With the relegation battle now so tight, with Norwich and Newcastle also looking to save themselves from the drop, Defoe’s presence in the Sunderland attack could just be enough to help Allardyce’s side survive the drop this season.