Costel Pantilimon has expressed his delight at seeing Sunderland beat the drop, saying that he can finally enjoy playing for the club.

The Black Cats held Arsenal to a goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night to confirm their Premier League status for another year.

It has been a tough season for the Stadium of Light outfit, one which has seen them spend most of the campaign inside the relegation zone, but with safety now secure, Emirates man of the match Pantilimon is keen to look ahead to the future.

"We showed we are a good team and that we can defend, especially in this game against a very good team," he is quoted as saying by talkSPORT.

"Every save I make is to help the team. It's my job. Football is all about teamwork and I'm happy I can work with these players and I can be part of this team.

"It was a tough game and we had a little bit of luck but sometimes you need that, especially under such big pressure when it's not easy to play in a fight against relegation. It has been a tough few weeks but we are happy now and we can enjoy it together. Importantly, so can the fans."

Sunderland round off their campaign with a trip to take on champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.