Di Canio insists his Black Cats have become pussycats!

SOFT TOUCH ... Paolo Di Canio wants Sunderland players to toughen up to avoid more thrashings

PAOLO DI CANIO insists his Black Cats have become pussycats!

The Sunderland boss wants them to stop being so nice and avoid a repeat of Monday’s 6-1 mauling at Aston Villa in which playmaker Stephane Sessegnon was sent off.

He said: “The players are very genuine, but very shy. Before what happened to Sessegnon, this team have not had one red card.

“I don’t want to see my players getting red cards. But even in terms of yellow cards, this isn’t a team that has suffered in that respect.

“I’m not saying we have to have the devil in us because people will say ‘Di Canio wants a killer in his team’. But sometimes we are too clean. We need a bit more of an edge.”