Trinidad and Tobago's Kenwyne Jones. - file

TYNE-ON-WEAR, England, CMC

Trinidad and Tobago Soca Warriors striker Kenwyne Jones admits Sunderland have three tough matches ahead of them before the end of the year, which could decide their fate in the English Premiership.

Sunderland face survival hopefuls Reading on Saturday before hosting bigwigs Manchester United on Boxing Day and fellow strugglers Bolton Wanderers on December 29.

Sunderland are hovering around the relegation zone in 17th position, but tied on 14 points with Bolton.

The New Year holds no respite for them either, since they travel to Blackburn Rovers on January 2, host Portsmouth on January 13, head to Tottenham on January 19, but get some relief when they face Birmingham City on January 29.

"We've got some big games and the pressure is on every one because of where we are in the league," Jones told the Sunderland Echo newspaper.

"We've got a few tough games in something like 10 days, but a lot of us have just come from the Championship, and we're used to how that feels and we know how to get through it."

Jones has started every game since his £6 million arrival from Southampton at the end of August, and admits it has been physically demanding, but enjoyable.

"The Premier League is tough physically," he said. "It's fast and you have to work hard to get the ball and make a chance to score.

"I've played up front alone a few times, but I'm fine with that and, like everyone else, I'm getting on with it and enjoying the experience.

"There's no point playing football unless you're going to enjoy it and there is going to be plenty of football for us in the next two or three weeks."

Jones is looking forward to Saturday's fixture against Reading, against whom he scored his first Sunderland goal in their 2-1 home win over the Royals in September.

But Steve Coppell's men have rebounded since then, and have won four of the 11 Premier League games they've played - while the Black Cats have tasted victory only once.

"I'll be trying to do my best again and hopefully this time, the result will go our way," he said.

"Reading are a good team and have started to show that, but we can take confidence from a lot of our performances and we have already beaten them, so that is a good thing for us to remember."

Jones also mentioned Sunderland's disappointment about referee Steve Bennett waving off Danny Collins' last-gasp 'goal' against Aston Villa, which would have given the club a morale-boosting home win and a crucial three points.