Rooted to the bottom of the table, this season couldn't be going much worse for David Moyes and his Sunderland side.

The January transfer window will likely play a key part in any survival bid with Moyes having to buy economically, smartly and most importantly players ready for first team football.

It's likely to be a battle all the way to May for the Black Cats and they need quality in key areas if they are to improve their results.

Sunderland aren't expected to be one of the big spenders in January but there is plenty of value out there for Moyes in markets he knows well. He did, after all, recruit expertly at Everton for a number of years.

Competition for first team places is fiercer than ever in the Premier League and there are many talented players on the fringes of squads, seeking regular football.

Here are FIVE January signings Football FanCast reckon would ensure Sunderland's survival...

Luciano Narsingh

PSV's Dutch international winger Lucian Narsingh could add real quality to Sunderland's wide areas in January.

In his sixth season at the Dutch club, he's scored 40 goals in 205 appearances from the wing and could provide serious competition for the likes of Adnan Januzaj in the Black Cats' attack.

Narsingh is struggling to reach the form he has in previous seasons this year but did play in five of PSV's six Champions League games, even scoring away to Bayern Munich.

Bringing in a player of his calibre would show Sunderland fans that the club mean business and are doing everything in their power to avoid relegation.

Marouane Fellaini

Marouane Fellaini isn't the most popular man around Old Trafford this season. A series of poor performances has cost United this season and he's now struggling to keep his place in Mourinho's plans.

That's not to say he isn't a quality player though and if anyone can get the best out of him it's David Moyes, who guided him so expertly during his time at Everton.

If Fellaini indeed does not have a future in Manchester, he could be available for a loan or a transfer fee of decent value and he'd add a lot to the heart of the Black Cats' midfield.

Tom Cleverley

Another classy midfielder struggling to get a game for his side is Everton man Tom Cleverley.

With close to 150 Premier League appearances he certainly knows how to play in the division and could easily slot into the heart of the Sunderland midfield.

Like Fellaini, he's probably a better player than his current form and opportunities suggest. With the ability to get stuck into a midfield battle and defend well, he could be a vital player in a relegation fight.

If Everton don't see a future for him under Ronald Koeman, he's another who could be well within the budget David Moyes has at his disposal.

Florin Andone

One thing that does keep you up in the Premier League is goals and that's hard to find on a budget, especially in January.

One man could offer good value though and that's Deportivo La Coruna's Romanian striker Florin Andone.

The 13-cap attacker didn't score for the Spanish side in his first ten games after moving in the summer but recently hit a rich vein of form, scoring five goals in his last five and chipping in with an assist.

Despite joining in the summer past, a move to the Premier League could prove tempting for the striker and his club are unlikely to be able to command that large a fee for him.

Moussa Marega

This one could be tricky to pull off considering he's on loan at Vitoria Guimaraes but Porto attacker Moussa Marega could be worth the effort it would take to bring him to the Stadium of Light in January.

The Malian can play both out wide and through the middle in attack, versatility that could be key in the run-in for Sunderland.

More important than that, he's deadly in front of goal and has scored ten goals in ten appearances in the Portuguese top flight this season.

Could he be the man to fire Sunderland to survival?