Pearce praise for striker Samaras

Pearce says March is a crucial month for his side

Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce praised striker Georgios Samaras after his double in the win over Sunderland and expects a lot more from the Greek.

"He has done very well and we are very pleased with him," said Pearce of the £6m striker he signed in January.

"He has fitted in extremely well since he has been at the club. I think he can improve and he will do.

"However, we are going to have to learn how to not make it as tough for ourselves by keeping the possession."

City face an FA Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa on 14 March as they also try to mount an assault for a European place via the Premiership.

Match report: Man City 2-1 Sunderland

Pearce has highlighted the importance of the next month and stated: "It's massive.

I'm sick of trying to talk up a lousy position from a lousy season Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy

"I talked to the players before in the week and I will do so again on Wednesday in respect to where we are going, our targets and where we are at this moment in time.

"Some of the games coming up are near enough cup finals and I included the game against Sunderland in that."

Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy was left further downcast by the defeat, with his side's improved performance after conceding two goals in two minutes early on proving to be little consolation.

"It was two minutes of madness," said McCarthy. "We conceded two goals that nobody should, to be honest.

"We have then done reasonably well to get back into it. We should have had something out of it but I am sick of talking about that nonsense as it is not good enough. The start has cost us the game.

"Towards the end, somebody with a finishing touch would have got us a point."

He added: "I wish someone was saying 'they are nasty so-and-sos, we hate playing against them and they don't play very well but have got 40 points'.

"I'm sick of trying to talk up a lousy position from a lousy season."