Cambridge United boss on pressures facing Sunderland players: 'It’s a heavy shirt to wear'

And ahead of the game Bonner has been talking about the expectation levels on players playing for a club the size of Sunderland and whether the pressure can take its toll on the players.

Cambridge have already beaten Ipswich Town and Wigan Athletic away this season and will look to make it a hat-trick of top club scalps this weekend.

Sunderland are involved in an intense battle for a play-off place and have just three games remaining, Cambridge at home on Saturday before the final home game against Rotherham United next Tuesday and a trip to Morecambe on the final day.

Ahead of the game, Bonner told Cambridgeshire Live: “There’s no doubt that they’ve got real talent in their team, players that have moved for big money in the past, players that have scored a lot of goals, have just had very good careers, or have got the potential to have them.

“I think when you play at a club like Sunderland, we’ve seen it against a few teams, it’s a heavy shirt to wear, because the expectations are so big, and therefore that can sometimes take its toll.

“I think in recent weeks they’re finding really good consistency and form at a time when you need it at this stage of the season. The problem is, there are a lot of teams doing that, or teams above them that have lost a little bit of rhythm have got the cushion.

“It’s going to go to the wire, and I’m sure for them, this game’s a pivotal one, and one they look at and think ‘right, we need three points from this one, because this would set us up nicely for the last weekend’.

“If we can ruin a party and cause a surprise, of course we’d love to do that,” he added.

Sunderland head into the game on the back of the Easter weekend win over Shrewsbury Town and the draw away at play-off rivals Plymouth Argyle.