STRUGGLING Sunderland must snap themselves out of their mid- season lull and prepare for the mother of all survival scraps, according to Anton Ferdinand.

A horrendous run of seven games without a win leaves the Black Cats perched just six points above the drop zone and peering nervously over their shoulders at the advancing pack.

It is a remarkable turn of events for a club with European ambitions at the turn of the year, and a downbeat Ferdinand admits the team may have underestimated the threat of relegation just a few weeks ago.

However, there will be little danger of them repeating that mistake over the next seven days as the Wearsiders brace themselves for a Stadium of Light six-pointer against a West Brom team showing signs of improvement under Roy Hodgson’s wily stewardship.

Ferdinand said: “We have to be looking over our shoulders now.

“Definitely because the league is that tight, but it is down to us as players to get back to winning ways.

“We need to look at ourselves, nobody else but ourselves, and we are going to have to do that next weekend at home to West Brom, a team who are fighting for their lives.

“There are not any excuses, we all have to look at ourselves, get on with training this week and make sure we are going into Saturday positive and on the front foot.”

Struggling before their trip to Eastlands, a 5-0 hammering by Manchester City left the team with no room to hide.

Ferdinand was offering no mitigation for the biggest loss of the season. He added: “The result says it all. It is very disappointing, we have not been beaten like that for a long time and it is very disappointing, but the beauty of football is we have another game around the corner.

“We have to sort ourselves out sharpish and return to the way we were playing before Christmas.

“It is a factor that we have been playing the top teams, but if we want to be a top-10 side, pushing into Europe, we have to be playing against these top teams and we have to be looking to gain results at home and away.

“That is what Tottenham and Manchester City are doing.

“If we want to be compared with those clubs we have to start performing.”

That process will have to begin on Saturday against a West Brom team which can overtake Sunderland with a victory – and which will be scrapping for its life.

Ferdinand said: “West Brom next weekend is going to be difficult.

“By no means is it going to be an easy game.

“They are fighting for their lives which, if anything, makes it even more difficult.

“They will be willing to run the extra mile, and if we don’t do that we will be turned over.

Meanwhile, John Mensah’s agent has denied French reports the defender has already agreed a permanent summer switch with Sunderland.

A clause in the deal struck with Lyon means the Black Cats have first option to sign Mensah if he starts 25 games, but another injury-hit campaign means he will not hit that mark.

His adviser Fabien Pivateau says any transfer to Wearside is still up in the air.

He said: “The reports in France are not true, it is not agreed.

“There was an option, where if he played 25 games then the deal would become permanent – but that is not possible now as there are not enough matches left in the season.

“That matter is with the clubs, and what Lyon want – you will have to ask them.”