SUNDERLAND chairman Bob Murray is expected to loosen the purse strings again this week as manager Mick McCarthy attempts to bolster his squad before tomorrow's transfer deadline.

The Black Cats are rock-bottom after just four games back in the Premiership and, while McCarthy sees no reason to panic, he is in no mood to leave his squad short for four months until January.

Despite just two goals in their opening games, McCarthy's priority is in defence. The long-term absence of Stephen Wright leaves summer signing Nyron Nosworthy as the only recognised right-back at the club.

McCarthy is determined to add to the 11 signings he has already made over the summer, with defenders Tyrone Mears at Preston and Arsenal reserve Justin Hoyte topping his list of targets.

But according to the Black Cats most experienced Premiership defender, there is still no need to panic.

Former Everton man Alan Stubbs already looks like McCarthy's best piece of business this summer, and has experienced both ends of the Premier League during his time at Everton.

He was man-of-the-match in the 1-0 defeat at Wigan on Saturday and, in his short time on Wearside, has seen enough in the squad to believe they have the quality to stay up.

"We've played four games and there are more than 30 left," said the 33-year-old who signed a 12-month deal at the Stadium of Light. "We're not even a quarter of the way through the season, it's far to early for the alarm bells to start ringing.

"Of course there will be people out there saying we're already showing that we're going to go down, but that's ridiculous.

"When you come to a club that's just been promoted you know things aren't going to be easy. But when I look at the squad we have there is enough ability at the club to stay up."

The loss at the JJB Stadium made it 19 consecutive defeats in the top flight - a statistic that displeases both McCarthy and Stubbs.

"We know we're bottom of the table and we're all aware that we've not had the start we would have liked," said Stubbs. "We should have taken at least a point off Wigan, but we're also confident that we'll get out of trouble.

"To talk about Sunderland losing 19 games on the trot is stupid. It's a different side now with a different manager, so I don't think it has any bearing on us at all.

"We're not going to sit around feeling sorry for ourselves. Those who aren't on international duty will be back in training and working hard to put things right.

"We've got a twoweek break now and there are a few things we'll be working on in training before we go to Chelsea. This is a young side, but everyone wants to improve.

"I don't think we've got the results our football has deserved. They say you make your own luck in this game, but we've not had our fair share. That is all we need to get things going for us.

"We'll take the Wigan defeat on the chin and then we'll get on with trying to get our first points on the board."

* Tottenham striker Mido wants Football Association officials to overturn the red card he received during the defeat to Chelsea.

The 22-year-old was dismissed by Rob Styles after appearing to make contact with Blues full-back Asier del Horno in an aerial challenge, with the Premiership title holders going on to win comfortably.

Mido, who is on loan from Italian club Roma, faces a three-match ban but hopes the sending-off will be rescinded before domestic action resumes.

Mido said: ''I hope that the FA cancels my suspension so that I could participate against Liverpool. We have appealed and I am still waiting for their decision.''

Read more about Sunderland here.