Sunderland vs Leicester City - Sam Allardyce has one eye on Norwich game

Sam Allardyce has admitted he already has one eye on next weekend's prospective relegation play-off at Norwich as his Sunderland side prepare to face shock Barclays Premier League leaders Leicester on Sunday.

Irrespective of the outcome of the Stadium of Light showdown against the Foxes, Allardyce knows the clash at Carrow Road is the one most likely to determine whether the Black Cats can prepare for another top-flight campaign next season.

But he maintains confidence is high among his players that they can take a step closer to realising that aim by becoming only the fourth team to beat Claudio Ranieri's buoyant side in the league this season.

Allardyce said: "We need to go out and win this game but at the end it's still about not losing it. Norwich will be must-win for us because they are our nearest rivals and we will have to go all out to get the three points."

Allardyce is unsurprisingly determined to put a positive spin on his side's plight which has seen them fail to win any of their last five Premier League games - but remain unbeaten through the last four of them.

And while missed opportunities cost his side dear in last week's frustrating goalless draw against West Brom, Allardyce is convinced his players are showing enough fight and belief to make victory over Ranieri's men eminently possible.

"If we're going to beat them we can't afford to miss the sort of chances we missed last week and Southampton missed (against Leicester) last week," added Allardyce.

"When we watched it back it was even more difficult to take. It was a great shame that it was not a very comfortable victory but you have got to take your chances and if you don't you pay the price in this league."

Allardyce, who expects to pick from a fully fit squad with the exception of knee injury victim Duncan Watmore, hailed his opposite number Ranieri whom he believes is enjoying the best period of his long and illustrious coaching career.

"He's got a huge amount of experience and he's been absolutely fantastic - a breath of fresh air," added Allardyce.

"I'm sure he's enjoyed every minute of this season perhaps more than any other job he's had, because I don't think his expectations would have been so great."

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri has dismissed fears over Jamie Vardy's goal drought.

The 19-goal striker has not scored in his last six games for the Foxes and his only strikes last month came for England against Germany and Holland and he has only netted four times for the Barclays Premier League leaders since mid-December.

Leicester have won their last four games 1-0 to lead the league by seven points and they could seal Champions League football for next season with victory against Sunderland if other results go their way.

But despite Vardy's lack of goals Ranieri insisted the points are more important than any player's personal tally.

He said: "It's not important who scores a goal. With (Danny) Simpson, no, last week he was so close? And I said to him 'don't worry, it will arrive next (week)'. It's not important who scores a goal. It's important that Leicester win the match

"It's not important. Every time I talk to the strikers, it's not important if they score. Of course it's their job to score a goal.

"Jamie in the last two or three matches he didn't score but made the final pass. I look always at the performance, if everybody links together and if everybody fights together. If everybody helps each other, that is my performance. After the goal, it's okay. If you imagine, Wes Morgan scored the goal (against Southampton)."