SUNDERLAND'S recent performances might have been nothing much to boast about, but Justin Hoyte is still hoping to leave White Hart Lane this evening with his bragging rights intact.

The Black Cats full-back, who was born in North-East London, is a lifelong supporter of his permanent employers, Arsenal.

Despite spending the last three months on Wearside, he has lost none of his love for Arsene Wenger's side and remains in contact with a number of his former team-mates.

This afternoon, he will make his first appearance on enemy turf as Sunderland take on the Gunners' bitterest rivals, Tottenham.

And, while the Black Cats desperately need three points to aid their position at the foot of the Premiership, Hoyte also has a personal incentive for success.

A number of his closest friends are supporters of Spurs and, after enjoying the upper hand over them for most of the last decade, he is not about to give them an opportunity to turn the tables.

"Quite a few of my mates support Spurs and I'm sure they'll be there watching," said the 21-year-old, who is expected to continue at right-back after switching from the opposite flank during last weekend's defeat to Birmingham.

"I'm expecting quite a bit of stick because of my Arsenal links, but I'm sure it'll be nothing I can't handle. I've not played there before, but I've been a sub on the ground and I got quite a bit of stick when I was just warming up.

"I imagine a few of the Arsenal lads will be ringing me up and asking me to do them a favour.

"Being a big Arsenal fan, it would be great to stop Spurs' recent run. It would mean a lot to me and my family.

"People have been saying that Spurs are better than Arsenal at the minute, but I don't see that at all. Arsenal are still the better team and I can't see Spurs finishing higher than them."

While Hoyte is almost certain to return to Highbury at the end of the season, his current concern is keeping Sunderland in the Premiership.

Two weeks ago, survival still looked a distinct possibility but, since then, successive home defeats to Aston Villa, Birmingham and Liverpool have soured the mood on Wearside.

Wednesday night's reverse made it seven league defeats in a row, and left the Black Cats seven points adrift of safety at the foot of the table.

It would be easy for Sunderland's players to bury their heads in the sand but, despite setting a record for the lowest Premiership points total after the first 15 games, they are determined to meet their problems head on.

"Obviously, it's a difficult stage for everyone," said Hoyte. "It's hard for us all but we have to keep working hard and keep on battling.

"Things will turn round, but we have to keep believing. We have to do all we can to get a victory or a draw.

"I've never had a run like this at any level of the game. It's new for me and it's a learning curve as well.

"Maybe in years to come, I'll take a lot from everything that's been going on. Right now though, I'm just hoping we get out of this situation."

When Hoyte agreed to leave Arsenal in late August, he was expecting to get a gradual introduction into life at the wrong end of the table. Instead, he has been plunged headlong into an increasingly desperate fight for survival.

It is hardly the same as coasting through life in Arsenal's reserves, but the England Under-21 international is confident he will become a better player thanks to Sunderland's current plight.

"I'm learning all the time," he explained. "It's not a position I want to be in, but playing every week is helping my all-round game.

"I'm learning that I need to stay focused and I know I need to keep working hard. When you're down at the bottom, it's hard to stay confident but you've always got to try. You can't afford to feel down because you've still got to lift yourself up for every single game."

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