IN FOOTBALL you hear the phrases must-win game' or make or break' far too often.

Sports journalists and pundits are all too quick to trot them out - you've probably heard them said about Saints at least seven or eight times already this season.

But, in the context of a season, we are getting close to must-win games for Saints and this really is a make or break few weeks coming up now.

Saints no longer have the luxury of being able to lose games if they are to finish in the top six.

There are plenty of predictions of what points total will be needed for sixth place. George Burley reckons three wins from their final four games will see Saints in there. It's unlikely to be much less for them now, maybe they might even need to go unbeaten and pick up three wins and a draw.

Whatever, the margin for error is pretty fine.

And their run-in isn't that easy.

Birmingham are out of form but will see Saturday's game as a massive match in their attempt to go up automatically.

Facing Leeds and Southend at home are games that at the start of the season you would really fancy but both of those sides are scrapping for their futures so will be massively motivated.

Only Norwich away are a team with nothing left to play for.

What Saints will need to do for the rest of the season is make sure they don't give away poor goals, take their chances and play like they did in the second half against Sunderland.

Despite a fairly even first half Saints were lucky to go into the break at 0-0.

David Connolly's spin and low shot from the edge of the area on 15 minutes clipped the outside of the post.

Bartosz Bialkowski was strong at his near post to turn behind from Stephen Elliott two minutes later, while Dwight Yorke headed over the bar unmarked from eight yards.

Saints only created one opening in the first half when Leon Best capitalised on a mistake in the Sunderland defence to nick himself through on goal.

His low shot was well saved by Darren Ward and, under pressure, Marek Saganowski wasn't able to make the follow-up header count.

Both sides came out for the second half intent on winning the game and both went about trying to do it by passing the ball, which made for a good spectacle.

Again it was encouraging to see Saints in full flow and to see that Sunderland were a side that didn't just come and shut up shop like some of the teams we've seen at St Mary's this season.

Saints' passing and excellent movement was rewarded when Guthrie put the ball back across goal and Saganowski did well to finish in the far corner to make it 1-0.

Saints had a chance to virtually seal the points with 15 minutes remaining when Viafara got in only to see his low shot blocked by the legs of Ward.

And Saints were punished for not pressuring the ball when Sunderland equalised two minutes later.

Carlos Edwards cut in from the right and, as the ball sat up, was allowed the time to pull the trigger. He made no mistake, firing into Bialkowski's top left-hand corner, giving the keeper no chance.

Sadly for Saints it was a vaguely similar story three minutes from time which saw Sunderland take the three points.

The ball was fed in from the left to Grant Leadbitter. He measured an effort from the edge of the area that again flew to the left of Bialkowski and again into the net.

Suddenly three points had become none.

For full match report and reaction see today's Daily Echo.