THE "pendulum" might have "swung" after last weekend's calamitous 4-1 defeat to Portsmouth but, when it comes to Sunderland's season, the clock is still ticking. As Mick McCarthy knows only too well, that has not always been the case.

In March 2003, McCarthy took control of a club that had accepted its own destiny. Relegation was inevitable, morale was at an all-time low and the worst losing run in Premiership history was well underway.

Judging by some of the more extreme reactions to last Saturday's second half, the Black Cats boss could be forgiven for thinking he had hit rock bottom yet again.

But, while Sunderland had given up the ghost three seasons ago, they currently find themselves just one win away from safety and just one point behind fellow strugglers Birmingham.

Not exactly the ideal backdrop for this afternoon's visit to Arsenal, but as McCarthy is the first to acknowledge, not the bleakest situation he has found himself in either.

"The pendulum has swung completely from hope, anticipation and encouragement to doom and gloom," admitted the Black Cats boss, who will stand by Kelvin Davis despite the under-fire goalkeeper carrying the can for last weekend's second-half collapse.

"We're talking about something - the last 45 minutes against Portsmouth - that seems to have wiped out all the good work we'd been doing before that.

"But it's not the same as it was three seasons ago and I hope that would never get to be the case. That's why I'm at pains to make sure that we're still scrapping it out and not getting over-run with negative thoughts.

"Far too often and far too easily, people can allow negative thoughts to seep into the place. I won't allow that to happen.

"To all intents and purposes, this group of players have been fantastic. They don't want to let all of this gradually drift away."

This afternoon's game will be a major test of Sunderland's resilience given the chaotic scenes that accompanied last weekend's second-half collapse.

Booed by their own fans, written off by pundits up and down the country and back on the bottom of the table, the club's players will need to dig deep if they are to prevent Arsenal maintaining their 100 per cent home record later today.

But, as McCarthy's youngsters have proved time and time again over the last two seasons, there is nothing they enjoy more than a battle against adversity.

Promotion was won against the odds, September's 2-0 win at Middlesbrough was achieved when few expected it and the likes of Dean Whitehead and Stephen Elliott have taken to life in the Premiership with unexpected assurance.

Avoiding relegation would represent an even more remarkable triumph but, as the ever-positive McCarthy is at pains to stress, it remains an achievable ambition.

"I fully accept that people will be fearing the worst after the second 45 minutes (against Portsmouth)," he said.

"But we're not going to give up. We're not going to stop fighting and scrapping for everything we can get.

"I don't doubt that the real true supporters are not going to give up either.

"They've had a bad week, like the rest of us, and are probably feeling lousy about themselves.

"It does become increasingly difficult for everybody but, if you give up, then there's no chance.

"We're not going to be throwing the towel in, and I would hope everybody's going to be with us in that."

While Sunderland's early-season form has undeniably been patchy, their situation has been exacerbated by the fine starts enjoyed by both Wigan and West Ham.

Paul Jewell's Wigan currently lie second in the Premiership while West Ham, who finished last season 21 points behind the Black Cats, are also in the top half of the table.

If both of those clubs had been occupying positions in the bottom three, Sunderland's problems might not have looked so acute.

As it is, Wigan's achievements intensify Sunderland's problems but, as even Jewell has admitted to McCarthy in one of their frequent telephone calls, there has not been much to choose between the performances of the two sides.

"I had a nice phone call from Paul this week," said McCarthy. "We played them at the start of the season, and he knows we played them off the park for most of the game.

"He felt that perhaps things had gone his way and he was glad of that. He felt it could turn and he still feels that way.

"Perhaps one or two things could have gone for us and it's nice when a colleague admits as much to you.

"We had a good chat about that, and it makes me more determined to be a success. It gets harder and harder - but you've got to keep working at it."

With Christian Bassila nursing a hamstring problem, Carl Robinson is in line for a surprise recall at the heart of a five-man midfield.

Read more about Sunderland here.