Former Blackpool forward Brett Ormerod has urged Simon Grayson's men to make the most of the negativity surrounding Sunderland at present when they head to the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

The Black Cats are in poor form under boss Phil Parkinson, having lost their last two games and failed to win in their last seven.   

 



Pressure is building on Parkinson, with Sunderland supporters having expected to see their side challenging for promotion from League One to the Championship.

Ormerod therefore insists that it can all play into Blackpool's hands on Saturday as they head into the busy Christmas period. 
 


"There’s a lot of negativity around Sunderland at the moment and hopefully that will play into Blackpool’s hands", Ormerod wrote in his column for the Blackpool Gazette.



Given the packed fixture list, the 43-year-old insisted that the need for the team is to go through the period on the back of a good result against Sunderland.

"We’re now coming up to that busy festive schedule and I have to say, when I was playing, I thought there were far too many games!
 

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"It is what it is and you have to get through it, because there’s so many games, if you’re in good form you can really propel yourself up the table."

Blackpool sit fourth in the League One standings and victory for Grayson's men at the weekend would put nine points between themselves and Sunderland, further increasing the pressure on Parkinson.