Yedlin: Allardyce 'has really helped me' with defending

DeAndre Yedlin believes his defending has improved greatly under Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce, despite the club languishing in the Premier League's relegation zone.

The marauding full-back has regularly been commended for his attacking talents, hence his common usage as a winger under United States boss Jurgen Klinsmann, but thinks he has now smartened up at the back.

"It's something that I wanted to work on, especially coming into the Premier League," said Yedlin, who left the Seattle Sounders in 2014 for Tottenham Hotspur.

"I felt that was the area of my game that needed the most improvement and the gaffer has really helped me with that, as have the players alongside me. He's just made me more aware positionally."

Yedlin only mustered 11 minutes after his January 2015 move to Spurs, resulting in his season-long loan to Wearside that began last summer.

"Positional awareness comes with experience, so getting game time helps, but we also work a lot in training as a back line and also on defensive shape," the 22-year-old continued.

"Before, sometimes if the ball was played over my head I wouldn't know where I was. Like against Arsenal (in December) when (Joel) Campbell got in behind me, but now I feel a lot more comfortable."

Despite his individual improvements, as a collective, only Aston Villa, Newcastle United, and Norwich City have worse defensive records in the Premier League than Yedlin's side.

Sunderland faces a visit from league leader Leicester City on Sunday, and currently sits four points short of top-flight safety.