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Patrick Davison sat down with Jermain Defoe to chat about the pressure on his shoulders at Sunderland, how he learnt from Ian Wright, and his relationships with Dick Advocaat and Sam Allardyce... Theres always a food bus at Sky Live games. A double-decker where everyone can sit and eat a few hours before kick-off.It was on the bus ahead of Tuesday nights game between Newcastle and Manchester City that conversation, predictably, turned to who might stay up. There was a variety of opinions, but only one player from any of the three teams fighting for their lives got a mention - Jermain Defoe.When I met with the man himself at Sunderlands Academy of Light training ground a few days later, it was the first thing I put to him. I wanted to know what its like, having the pressure of everyone expecting you to score, knowing youre the one team-mates rely on, that the clubs future might very well rest in your hands.He didnt look worried. Defoe loves being the main man.The goals now are more important than ever, says the striker who already has 141 of them in the Premier League.But its good pressure. I want to be the one who makes the difference, who wins us games which are so big.I keep that in my mind when Im out there on the pitch and I wait for my chance. Defoe says he is not surprised by the rise of Harry Kane or Tottenham after their impressive season Hes been like this for as long as he can remember. As a kid, endlessly watching and re-watching video tapes, just to see goals. Never happy, even when playing in the playground, if he didnt score.The boys used to laugh about it. JDs not going to pass it round the edge of the box. But if I was a defender or midfielder, Id want a striker like that.Even now, in training, if I score, Younes Kaboul and Sheasy [John OShea] say to me: Brilliant, keep adding to the tally, keep doing it. They know what it means to me to score. Maybe I was born that way.Defoe has worked hard to become a finisher. During those younger days, he would travel from his home in east London to the north of the capital to watch Arsenal - Sunderlands opponents on this weekends Super Sunday. Sam Allardyce believes Sunderland need three wins from their last five games to avoid relegation He wasnt an Arsenal fan, he didnt even always follow the ball. He went to Highbury to watch Ian Wright.Back then people used to say Boring Arsenal, but they used to win 1-0 and Wrighty would score. To think now that Im the one the lads look to for the goal is a great feeling.A young Defoe didnt just watch football, he was, and is, a big boxing fan. Now, along with his team-mates, hes in a scrap of his own and drawing inspiration from those he watched in the ring.I remember being at my nans and watching the Benn v Eubank fights. There was such a buzz, not just the fights but the whole build-up. I was always fascinated by the pressure and how they would deal with it. Jermain Defoe celebrates scoring in the win over Norwich last weekend Im also a massive Floyd Mayweather fan. Watching him before some of the biggest fights ever and hes always composed and relaxed. Its knowing that, yes theres massive pressure, but if you have enough belief you will do well.At times, in print, Defoes quotes look a bit like some of Mayweathers - assured, maybe even to the point of cockiness. But see him speak, as anyone who watches his interview on Sunday will, and a warm, engaging team man comes across.An example of his willingness to sacrifice himself for his team came last season under Dick Advocaat. The two didnt always see eye to eye and the Dutchman didnt believe he was suited to the lone striker role.Defoe had to do a job for the team as a left-sided midfielder, at times playing more like an extra left-back as Sunderland escaped relegation.I told him Id scored a hat-trick playing for England against Bulgaria playing up front by myself, says the 33-year-old, who finished with 19 goals in 55 games for his country. Defoe discusses his younger days in football and how watching Ian Wright helped him to perfect the art of goalscoring. But for some reason he thought I couldnt do it. I never really said anything, I just let my football do the talking.This season, mainly under Sam Allardyce, faith in Defoe has been restored. The striker has managed 13 league goals in a struggling side, the last of them the vital second goal in a huge win at Norwich that kept Sunderland afloat.The new manager, he says, deserves credit. For his own turnaround and for the teams.Hes brilliant. A good guy and really funny. He knows how to do it. A manager can only do so much but he gives you the platform to go and win games. Hopefully we can stay up and then next season will be a good season.To escape, Sunderland will almost certainly need Defoes goals. And thats exactly the way he wants it.Watch Sunderland v Arsenal live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 1pm on Sunday. Also See: Big Sam: Defoe brainwashed Defoe: Fitness was big issue Sky Live: Sunderland v Arsenal Sunderland fixtures Cheap Soccer Jerseys .Y. -- Knicks coach Mike Woodson said Wednesday that J. Stitched Soccer Jerseys . White came in fourth place in the event. He was the two-time defending gold medallist. The gold medal went to Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov. https://www.soccerjerseyschina.us/ . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. Soccer Jerseys Outlet . In the lead up - which seemed to begin the moment Mike Geiger blew the whistle in Houston last Thursday night - the Impact rumour mill went into overdrive. The speculation went into meltdown mode, of the golden nugget variety. Clearance Soccer Jerseys . -- Three close looks at the bucket, three misses. Three men were out for 110 in Sri Lankas Test last week. Was this some sort of record? asked Tushar Trivedi from India (and many others) Those 110s by Kusal Perera, Upul Tharanga and Dimuth Karunaratne for Sri Lanka against Zimbabwe in Harare last week did set a new mark for the highest score made three times in the same Test match. The previous-highest three-peat was 99, by Dennis Amiss, Majid Khan and Mushtaq Mohammad in the match between Pakistan and England in Karachi in 1972-73. The previous-highest scored three times by the same team was 78, by Desmond Haynes, Viv Richards and Richie Richardson for West Indies against New Zealand in Port-of-Spain in 1984-85.South Africa have won their last three Tests at Perth. Has anyone else managed this against Australia? asked Mikkel de Vries from South Africa Youre right in thinking that Australia have a good record at the WACA ground in Perth - they have won 24 of the 43 matches there, and have drawn eight. Of their 11 defeats, South Africa have been responsible for the last three, in 2008-09, 2012-13 and 2016-17; the Proteas drew their only other Test there (in 2005-06), so are undefeated in Perth. England have won there only once, against an under-strength Aussie team during the World Series Cricket era in 1978-79; New Zealand pulled off their one and only victory in 1985-86, when Richard Hadlee took 11 wickets; and India won in 2007-08. But West Indies won their first five Tests at the WACA - in 1975-76, 1984-85, 1988-89, 1992-93 and 1996-97 - before coming down to earth with an innings defeat in 2000-01, and suffered another reverse in 2009-10.Apparently the Aussie collapse at Perth was the third-worst for a team whose openers put on 150 or more. What are the two entries above this? asked Stuart from South Africa In the first Test against South Africa in Perth, Australia lost all ten wickets for 86 after David Warner and Shaun Marsh put on 158 for the first wicket. The only two lower totals after an opening stand of 150-plus were both by Zimbabwe: in their second innings against West Indies in Bulawayo in July 2001 they collapsed from 164 for 0 to 228 all out, then six months later in January 2002 they reached 153 for 0 in their first innings against Sri Lanka in Galle, only to subside to 236 all out, with five wickets apiece for Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya. The lowest completed innings to include a 150 partnership for any wicket is Sri Lankas 216 against South Africa in Durban in 2000-01 - Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene added 168 for the third wicket, but the other nine batsmen managed just 35 runs between them.How many players have scored more than 200 runs in a Test over two innings without being dismissed, as Kraigg Brathwaite did for West Indies against Pakisstan? asked Savo Ceprnich from South Africa It was a slight surprise to discover that Kraigg Brathwaite, who made 142 and 61 - both not out - for West Indies against Pakistan in Sharjah last week, comes in only 17th on this particular list.dddddddddddd Its headed by the New Zealander Stephen Fleming, with 343 runs in undefeated innings of 274 and 69 against Sri Lanka in Colombo in April 2003; Sachin Tendulkar also made more than 300 runs over two innings in a Test without getting out, with 241 and 60 for India v Australia in Sydney in 2003-04. The most runs in a Test without getting out is, of course, Brian Laras 400 not out in just one innings for West Indies against England at St Johns in 2003-04. I was even more surprised, however, to realise that Brathwaite was the first opener ever to remain undefeated in both innings of a Test match.Who are the youngest and oldest players to appear in 100 Test matches? asked Timothy Rankin from England The youngest man at the time of his 100th Test cap was Englands Alastair Cook, who was 28 years 353 years old when he reached three figures, in Perth in 2013-14 (he undoubtedly hoped for a better result: Australia won by 150 runs). Cook beat Sachin Tendulkars previous mark - he was 29 years 134 days old when he played his 100th Test, for India against England at The Oval in 2002. All the other 62 players to date who have won 100 or more caps were over 30 when they reached their century; the oldest remains Geoff Boycott, 40 years 254 days old against Australia at Lords in 1981. Clive Lloyd (in 1983-84) and Graham Gooch (1992-93) were both 39 at the time of their 100th caps. Who has taken the most catches in his first-class career? asked Sivaraman Narayanaan from India There are nine men - eight of them wicketkeepers - who have taken more than 1000 catches in their first-class careers. All of them had long county careers in England, and top of the pile is Bob Taylor, who started with Derbyshire in 1960 and played on for them to 1988, when he was 47. Taylor, who also appeared in 57 Tests, finished with 1473 catches; 176 stumpings gave him 1649 dismissals all told, another record. The only outfielder on the list is Frank Woolley, with 1018 for Kent and England during a career that stretched from 1906 to 1938, by which time he was 51. The next man to join the list ought to be Nottinghamshires Chris Read, who ended the 2016 English season with 995 catches. Its not too fanciful to suggest that Read will be the last man ever to reach four figures - the next current player on the list is the 36-year-old Essex keeper James Foster, with 775.Post your questions in the comments below ' ' '