Burnley manager Brian Laws conceded that the club's Premier League survival prospects are "slim" following a 2-1 reverse at Sunderland.

The defeat leaves the Clarets four points adrift of safety having played a game more than fellow strugglers Hull, West Ham and Wigan.

"They are slim," said Laws of Burnley's survival chances, "but not impossible.

"It's going to take a lot of belief in ourselves, but we still take heart from teams who have done it."

Burnley have three games in which to prevent an immediate return to the Championship, but face a daunting run-in.

Home games against Liverpool and Tottenham lie ahead, either side of a trip to Birmingham who have lost only twice all season at St Andrews.

Laws has masterminded just two wins since taking up the reins at Turf Moor from Owen Coyle in January, but points to the most recent of those victories - last weekend's 4-1 win at Hull - as evidence that his side can confound the doom-mongers.

"We are gathering our belief from ourselves because nobody else is going to give us it, nobody else is believing we can do it," added Laws.

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"The media and the press will cut us off and give us no chance, but they said that last week.

"They thought we were never going to win another game but we have and again, with that fighting spirit, we will give ourselves a chance.

"It's three games, nine points and who's to say we won't get nine points? You might just say it now, but who can guarantee what results go on on a Saturday?"

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