Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe has said that even at his age and career he wants to prove himself to his teammates as the club battles relegation.
The 34-year old player has netted 250 times in his English club football career with more than 150 goals in the Premier League. The prolific scorer has scored 19 times in 55 games for the national team, proving his worth for club and country.
Defoe said that impressing the new additions – that have helped boost the relegation fight – is a motivation for him when he steps out in the club’s jersey.
“Maybe the signings that have come in, players that the manager knows from before, lift everyone else. It’s a funny one, you bring competition into the club and the players that are here, you want to impress the new players.
“It’s something that we wanted. The team spirit is always the most important thing, in tough times you’ve got to stick together. If you stick together as a group it doesn’t really matter what’s going on, you win together and you lose together,” the player said.
Manager David Moyes added Darron Gibson, Joleon Lescott and Bryan Oviedo to the Black Cats line-up during the January transfer window. They defeated Crystal Palace in a surprising display 4-0 despite playing away.
Reflecting on the game in which Defoe scored twice, he said the game was a difficult one as both sides wanted to get the intensity on whilst trying not to concede. He heaped praises on his teammates Lamine Kone and Didier Ndong who scored the other two goals.
The second half saw them defend well to make sure the scoreline does not change. Defoe praised Vito Mannone for his saves and Joleon Lescott for his wealth of experience which helped them get the victory.