Advocaat: Sunderland players not in shape

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Dick Advocaat defended Sunderland's transfer deals but had some harsh words for his players following a Premier League defeat to Leicester.

Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat accused his players of not being in "the right shape" following their 4-2 defeat to Leicester City on the opening day of the Premier League.

Advocaat's men conceded three goals in the opening 25 minutes before Jermain Defoe and Steven Fletcher restored a modicum of pride in the second half.

Following the match, Advocaat moved to defend his close-season transfer dealings, which have seen Yann M'Vila, Jeremain Lens, Younes Kaboul, Adam Matthews and Sebastian Coates arrive at the Stadium of Light.

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"You cannot only buy players for £1million, £2m, or £3m," he said. "That was the mistake because we have a president who's doing everything to help us to help the team.

"[Saturday] has nothing to do with the investment we made, the players were not in the right shape."