Sunderland defender Chris Mepham described the defeat at Stoke City as a ‘big learning curve’ for the team but has vowed to ensure there are no regrets in results between now and the end of the season.

Tom Cannon’s late strike in stoppage time handed the Potters the three points as the Wearsiders lost 1-0 at the bet365 Stadium after spurning a host of openings to score. It was a missed opportunity for the Black Cats with Sheffield united and Burnley both dropping points while Leeds United took advantage by winning at Derby County.

“It was a really frustrating result,” said Mepham “I think we felt hard done by. We created much better chances in the game and it’s kind of been the story of our season where we didn’t get the rewards for how well we played. It’s a big learning curve. There’s a few games now where we’ve conceded late and that is something we need to fix.

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“But we’ve got a big game now against Sheffield United so that’s got to be our focus and hopefully we can put a positive performance in and get a result there. You’ve always got to put things into perspective though. We expect in our current form to come away with a result but no team gives you three easy points and you have to work hard for them and stay switched on over 90 minutes and we fell short.”

In defiant mood at the end of the game following a strong performance in Staffordshire, Mepham added: “At the end of the season, you want to be in a position where you don’t regret certain games. I feel like at the minute we are carrying a bit of regret. There’s plenty of time to put it right and we’ve got a squad that’s more than good enough to do that.”

Mepham has made a big impact on the team and added: “I’m loving it and it’s been a breath of fresh air. I feel like I have made a good connection with the fans. I’m feeling the love from everyone and I’m hoping to be part of something really special this year. I’ll make sure I’ll do everything in my power to get this club back to where it belongs.”

Sunderland have a huge clash on New Year's Day (Wednesday), when Sheffield United visit the Stadium of Light for an 8pm kick-off.