Sunderland fans are probably the best we will see – Bonner

Cambridge boss Mark Bonner hopes his side can use a sell-out crowd to their advantage against Sunderland – and is looking forward to a lively atmosphere at the Abbey Stadium.

A total of 7974 tickets have been sold for the League One fixture, including 2,551 visiting supporters, who will be situated in the South Stand and South Habbin.

Cambridge were promoted from League Two last season, but have held their own for most of the campaign and sit 15th in the table.

“I speak on it every week about teams that were in the Premier League, or teams that have huge resources and championship level squads, it gets boring, there is about ten of them,” said Bonner.

“Everyone says this is the toughest League One for years that I speak to.

"Obviously, I have got no reference point for that, you have to just go along with the people that have been in the league for a number of years say.

“Sunderland started the season brilliantly.

"They have had a run of games that perhaps has not gone as well as they would have hoped, but you look at the league table and they are still right in touch with the top, which is where they expect to be.

“They will come here expecting to win and needing the three points, because that is the expectation and demand of that club, really.

"We know on our day we can be a match for any team."

Cambridge haven’t won for three league games, but did hold Wigan to a 2-2 draw at the Abbey Stadium on Tuesday evening.

“Our ambition is that we build this club and try and compete at the top end of the table with these teams overtime and that is what we want to do, but right now, it is about just competing with them and going into games as confident as we can,” added Bonner.

“We are looking forward to a full Abbey Stadium again, we have to make that work to our advantage.

“I think it will really crank up the atmosphere this week.

"I think their fans are probably the best away following that we will see in terms of noise, and I hope that really inspires us from minute zero to minute 90.”