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Simon Grayson pointed the finger squarely at his players after Sunderland’s latest home defeat.

The Wearsiders lost 2-1 against Bristol City at the Stadium of Light, a result that leaves Sunderland just two points above basement side Bolton Wanderers, who visit Wearside on Tuesday night.

Sunderland conceded the opening goal from another soft set-piece, with goalkeeper Jason Steele again pinned on his line while Darron Gibson failed to stay with scorer Bobby Reid.

Lewis Grabban levelled just before half-time, but more slack defending allowed sub Milan Djuric to head the winner 20 minutes from time.

And Grayson said it is high-time his players took ‘responsibility’ and ‘stood up to be counted’.

“I’m sitting here again saying the same things I have done after every defeat this season,” said Grayson.

(Image: PA)

“We’re making bad decisions, we’re not taking responsibility when players go out onto the pitch, and we are gifting the opposition the opportunity to go and win the game.

“We have talked about getting the first goal being crucial for us, and we have never been able to get that at home this season.

“Then a player who is 5ft 7in [Reid] gets a free header inside the box.

“Yesterday we had a team meeting where we went through the set-pieces, we went through it again at lunchtime when the players got here, designate who is supposed to mark who, but then when you shoot yourself in the foot and the first goal goes in it deflates everybody.

“Up to then I thought we were slightly the better team, without showing a great deal of quality given that conditions were difficult.

“We got a break with the equaliser just before half-time and we wanted to go on and really impose ourselves in the second half but, again, decision-making and responsibility from the players was poor.”

Sunderland had had the better of the first half and deserved to go in at the break on level terms at the very least, with Grabban’s goal offering them a way back into the game.

But they failed to build on that in the second period.

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Grayson said: “I said to the players that we had got a real boost there [with the equaliser], and we needed to get on the front foot in the second half.

“But again we kept on making really bad decisions - when there were opportunities for players to run the ball, they passed it without any quality, when the opportunity was there to pass it quickly we ran into bodies.

“We do the preparation for players and talk about these things but the bottom line is that when they cross the white line, they have to take responsibility and stand up and be counted.

(Image: Sunderland AFC)

“When we had the sucker-punch of the second goal at a time when we were possibly having a bit more possession, we then for the last 15 minutes huffed and puffed without any end product and we lost our shape.

“They have to carry out the gameplan that we keep asking them to do, and that’s down to responsibility and decision-making from the players.”

Grayson remains convinced that he and the players can turn the situation around, although it is getting harder and harder to find fans who share his optimism.

Asked whether he was confident he could get the club back on track, he said: “Without a shadow of a doubt, but we have to do the basics right.

“It’s the same in any football match - you have to win your individual battles, do what you’re asked to do, and stick to the gameplan.

“Don’t blame other people, if you’ve got a job to do at a set-piece then you have to stick to that.

“Today was probably the strongest squad that I have had available but we didn’t look confident, while you could see that Bristol were playing with a spring in their step.

“We know that a result or two can quickly change it round.”

And with Bolton due on Wearside on Tuesday, Grayson has to pick his players up quickly.

He said: “As you can see, I’m disappointed with the players and what they have done today.

“But I’ll be as positive as I can be with the players in the run-up to the game.

“I have to pick them up because they are the ones who are going to be crossing the white line on Tuesday to hopefully get us a result.”