Sunderland keeper Gordon will welcome new recruits

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The Black Cats slipped to just one place off the foot of the table after yesterday's 4-0 drubbing by reigning champions Manchester United on Wearside.

Keane dragged his side back into the top flight at the first time of asking at the end of last season and was richly rewarded with a transfer kitty amounting to around £36million.

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That, the Irishman firmly believed, was invested wisely for a sustained future in the Premier League, but just a few months on, the £20million or so available from chairman Niall Quinn and his Drumaville consortium is rapidly starting to resemble a survival fund.

The Irishman freely admits his squad is short on both numbers and quality, and £9million Gordon, Britain's most expensive goalkeeper, is sure new arrivals will be welcomed with open arms.

Gordon said: "The only way we are going to improve is to stick together and start winning matches.

"The dressing room is united and I know with the backing we get from our fans, that will remain the case.

"It's no secret the manager wants to bring in new players, and the guys already here will need to step up and keep their place.

"It's great if we can add to our squad and increase the competition for every place on the pitch."

The need for that competition became ever more clear when the season reached its halfway point with only 14 points banked so far.

Sunderland's last 13 league games have yielded a single victory - and that secured by an injury-time Anthony Stokes strike against rock-bottom Derby - and a paltry return of seven points from the 39 on offer during that period tells its own story.

In truth, that statistic was never likely to be altered significantly by yesterday's events on Wearside as United arrived shooting for the top of the table.

Keane's men were undone by pure class on a day when the Irishman opted to hand 17-year-old striker Martyn Waghorn a senior debut.

The former United skipper said: "If you are going to make your debut, why not today? I think he learnt how tough it is in the Premier League."

It was a lesson the teenager's more experienced team-mates have already had to take on board.

England striker Wayne Rooney set the ball rolling with an unerring 20th-minute finish and then along with the irresistible Cristiano Ronaldo, carved the Black Cats apart on the half-hour to set up Louis Saha for a second.

Ronaldo's swerving free-kick sealed the points in first-half injury time, and by the time Saha converted a late penalty, the home fans heading for the exits were already contemplating the unpalatable prospect of a third relegation in six seasons.

Just how many of the 47,360 who witnessed the United master-class will return on Saturday when Bolton arrive on Wearside remains to be seen, but Gordon for one knows how big a fixture that game now represents.

He said: "Everyone talks about the fact there are lots of games in the Christmas period and there are a lot of points to be played for.

"The fight is definitely on, especially at the Stadium of Light, where we will try to get as many points as possible.

"Bolton is another big game and we look forward to that now. You look at the teams about you and think you have a good chance of taking points, especially at home.

"It will be a hard game, but we will be looking to get the win to try to get us out of the bottom three."

The 24-year-old Scotland international knows a clean sheet against Gary Megson's side could prove invaluable, although that is a feat he has not managed since the opening day of the season.

He lost his place in the side to Darren Ward after conceding seven at Everton on November 24, and has now been beaten 13 times in his last three games.

However, having been poorly protected yesterday, he is determined to prove his worth once again.

Gordon said: "I have got my place back and the only way for me to keep it is by being consistent."