Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat has once again warned his side must do significant business in the remaining week of the transfer window in order to avoid another season of struggle.
Saturday's 1-1 draw against Swansea lifted some of the early season gloom over Wearside but the Dutchman - who hailed the efforts of the club's sporting director Lee Congerton - is desperate for new faces.
Speaking ahead of the Black Cats' Capital One Cup clash with Exeter on Tuesday, Advocaat said: "I have told everyone we need two or three players and I will keep saying it until the last day.
"I think we now have the right people who can judge players and what Lee has done with little money so far is a really great job. So I can appreciate that - but we need more."
Advocaat is keen to make a minimum number of changes for the game against the Grecians, mindful of the lift his players would gain from claiming their first competitive win of the season.
Jeremain Lens, Billy Jones and Vito Mannone are among the definite absentees with Duncan Watmore pushing for his first start after proving one of the bright spots of the campaign so far.
Lynden Gooch, Tom Robson and Max Stryjek are also set to figure after impressing Advocaat playing for the under-21s in the early weeks of the new campaign.
Advocaat added: "It's important to get a little more confidence but we've also seen in pre-season how difficult it is to play against those kinds of teams when we lost 2-0 to Doncaster.
"They (Exeter) are playing in a beautiful stadium on a great pitch and they have nothing to lose. It is up to us to show that it (Saturday) was not just one time, but that we can try to improve every week."
Source: PA
