Carlos Edwards is convinced the power of positive thinking can see Sunderland through their Premier League survival campaign.The Black Cats faithful are looking to the 29-year-old winger following his return to action from a broken leg as the Wearsiders attempt to drag themselves to safety after an intensely difficult first season back in the top flight.

Edwards played a major role in Roy Keane's men lifting the Championship title last season after his arrival at the Stadium of Light in a £1.4million January switch from Luton.

Keane, his team-mates and the fans are now hoping he can re-establish the supply lines to £6million striker Kenwyne Jones - who has just one goal to his name in 19 games - as the season approaches a dramatic conclusion.

Sunderland head for Aston Villa on Saturday still looking for their first away win of the campaign and having taken only a single point from the last 12 on offer, failing to score in the process.

Edwards knows the club's plight - they currently lie in 17th place, just two points above the drop zone - is serious, but remains supremely confident they can escape.

He said: "Every point counts from now until the end of the season because if you look from 14th down to the bottom, it is really tight and really close.

"We have to keep thinking positively and I am confident we are going to be out of that situation before the last maybe two or three games of the season.

"The guys are buzzing and they are up for the challenge. Obviously, it is going to be a hectic challenge, but at the same time, we know what we have to do come the weekend."

The Trinidad & Tobago international - Keane is less than happy about he and Jones heading off to the Caribbean for a friendly against Jamaica immediately after Saturday's game - returned to senior action in last Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by Chelsea.

Although understandably still searching for match-fitness, he played his part in a spirited display which perhaps warranted more than the plaudits of supporters who had seen their side push the title contenders all the way.

Edwards said: "Football is a very, very strange game. We lost on Saturday, but if you look back at the game, the result did not reflect the game.

"But that is just football, it is a very cruel game. You have just got to be 100 per cent committed - if you slack off just for a split-second, that could be the end of the game.

"It is just a matter of time until - come Saturday, hopefully, sooner rather than later - we get all three points away from home."

Keane, for once, has few selection problems this weekend with only Dickson Etuhu, who has a knee injury, likely to be missing.

But whichever 11 men he sends out at Villa Park, he will hope they can address a return of just six goals in the 11 games since his side defeated Bolton 3-1 on December 29.

Leading scorer Jones' only strike since October came in that game, but Keane has no concerns over a frontman he believes is among the best in the Premier League.

He said: "Honestly, if he is down in the dumps, I hope he continues that way because of the way he played last weekend. He was outstanding.

"Would he like a few more goals? Of course he would. Would Michael Chopra like a few more goals? Of course he would. Would Daryl Murphy like a few more goals? Of course he would.

"We have just been a bit short over the last few weeks on that side of it, but that is what we are striving to do, trying to get the balance right."

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