I know more about running a club than Sunderland boo-boys - Moyes
Sunderland manager David Moyes has said he "knows how to run a club" and defended his credentials after being jeered by some supporters during Wednesday's 1-0 defeat at fellow Premier League relegation candidates Middlesbrough.
Basement-side Sunderland, who have been battling the drop for the last four seasons, are 12 points adrift of the safety zone with five games to play as they prepare to host 13th-placed Bournemouth on Saturday.
Moyes, who was appointed at the start of the season, said Sunderland's managers have shouldered the majority of the blame for the failures over recent years at the Stadium of Light.
"I'm fortunate that I know a lot more about the running of the club and what goes on so I'm a little bit privy to that," Moyes told reporters on Friday.
"I think supporters are entitled to shout and vent their frustrations, and there's been frustrations here for four or five years, but the manager will always take the brunt of it.
"All I want is the supporters to get behind the players and make sure we give the players every opportunity to win the game."
Sunderland are on a nine-game winless streak but the 54-year-old Scot is still optimistic about their chances of top-flight survival.
"If we can win tomorrow it will give us an opportunity to go again," Moyes added. "I think we will need a really good run of results for things to go our way, but while there's a chance we will try and win."
Bournemouth have an opportunity to pick up their first away victory in eight games this weekend as they hope to reach the notional safety target of 40 points.
(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)