Luke O'Nien insists Sunderland can kick-on in 2023 and build on their impressive start to life back in the Championship. O'Nien admits the step up from League One was something of a voyage into the unknown for most players in the squad, but the Black Cats have adapted quickly and currently find themselves sitting eighth in the table - just a point outside the play-off places.
Maintaining that level over the course of an entire campaign will not be easy, but Sunderland have reached this point despite having had to contend with a lengthy injury list for virtually the entire season, which left them without star striker Ross Stewart for more than three months and with no centre-forwards at all for seven games.
"We are in a real good position to kick on this year and just have to make sure we take the league in our own hands, we don't just wait for it to happen, we make it happen and I think we are doing that so far," said O'Nien.
