AN emotional Dick Advocaat paid tribute to his Sunderland players after a goalless draw at Arsenal secured their Barclays Premier League survival.

The Black Cats needed a point to avoid a nervous final day of the season at champions Chelsea on Sunday, and a mixture of fortune and rugged defending enabled them to achieve their objective at the Emirates Stadium.

Former Rangers boss Advocaat took over the hotseat in March with Sunderland a point and a place above the relegation zone, but a run of three wins and three draws in his eight-game spell in charge has secured a ninth successive season in the top flight.

"It was unbelievably important for the club that they stay up," he said.

"They've come so far, if you see the last six games the team has worked unbeliev-ably (hard) in training.

"The emotion from everybody was high because they see at training what you're doing and also the results of the last six games.

"We have only lost one of the last six and that's the reason why they really deserve to stay in (the Premier League).

"Also our fans tonight were really, really great."

Jermain Defoe joined Sunderland's fight to avoid relegation when he signed from Toronto FC during the winter transfer window and he admitted the battle to beat the drop had been a testing time for all those concerned at the Stadium of Light.

"It's all about getting the results and when that final whistle went you can imagine the feeling," the striker said.

"Everyone has worked so hard. We knew when we came here (to Arsenal) it was going to be difficult. They keep the ball well, good movement, discipline, so it's fantastic.

"It (the relegation battle) has been scary to be honest. You try to be relaxed and approach it like every other game but you're just crying out for the final whistle.

"I thought everyone was fantastic tonight. We needed the result and we got it under a lot of pressure so credit to the boys."

Successive draws mean Arsenal cannot catch second-placed Manchester City but, although third is virtually guaranteed with a game to go, Arsene Wenger was not too disappointed despite the Gunners failing to score at home for a third game in a row.

Wenger also felt fatigue hampered his side following Sunday's energy-sapping draw against Manchester United.

"We gave a lot on Sunday to come back (in the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford) and you could see that the legs were not completely there tonight," he said.

"I believe that a lack of freshness and football is always in cycles, but if we do not score we do not score."

"We are solid, at least we don't concede, and we got an important point tonight and it shows how important the point was at United."