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Cape Town - Frustrated Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce said his players were not realising the severity of the relegation situation they find themselves in.
Sunderland, who face out-of-form Crystal Palace later on Tuesday, are second bottom of the Premier League table with 11 games to go and Allardyce wanted more importance placed on results rather than performance.
"I don't think players realise just how important it (collecting points) is. If we don't accept the severity of our situation how are we going to cope with it?," Allardyce was quoted as saying by British media.
"Players tend to think that if the performance is good, that's it. It's more than frustrating. We can't keep pussyfooting around. The only way we're going to get out of it is by accepting more responsibility.
"It's a results business... and we have to make sure we get the results we need."
The former Newcastle United and West Ham United boss said Sunderland needed at least five wins from their remaining games to avoid the drop starting with Tuesday's fixture at home to 14th-placed Palace, who haven't won in 10 league matches.
"We've got to have our best run of the season and pick up five victories minimum in the hope that 38 points is going to be enough again this year," he added.
