Sunderland and ex-Ipswich Town centre-back Titus Bramble.

Norwich City will find something of a kindred spirit waiting for them on Sunday as the fight for Premier League survival steps up a level.

While there were audible Carrow Road grumbles at the Canaries’ sixth goalless draw of the campaign against Southampton on Saturday, Martin O’Neill’s Sunderland will await for a televised lunchtime kick-off with a few of their own worries to deal with.

Although they have five more goals than the Canaries’ paltry tally of 27 from 29 matches, it has felt like a struggle for the Black Cats to score this season – but there are other worries too.

Sunderland could not stop the top-flight’s bottom – and least prolific – side QPR notching three goals for the first time this term, as the Black Cats lost at Loftus Road on Saturday.

In fact Sunderland are propping up the rest of the Premier League in the current form table, without a win in six matches and three points worse off than their next visitors to the Stadium of Light.

Both Norwich and Sunderland have a decent cushion to the central ferocity of the relegation scrap, but they are still close enough to feel the heat – something that will be hard to escape on Sunday.

“The pressure is going to be on against Norwich because we have lost four of the last five games and that is not good enough for a club like ours,” said Sunderland and ex-Ipswich Town centre-back Titus Bramble.

“We will work hard this week to prepare for the Norwich game – a massive game.

“We are not right down at the bottom, but we have to pick up some points. The sooner we get to 40 points the better.

“Any team in that bottom area is going to be feeling the pressure whether it is us, QPR, Norwich or Aston Villa. Anyone down there worries until you get two wins and get out of trouble.

“There’s obviously pressure and we’re fully aware of where we are. At one stage we won a few games and we were looking at the top half of the table.

“Now, we’re looking over our shoulders and that’s a worry. Until we win a game, the pressure is going to build and it’s going to be tough.”