Alim Ozturk has paid tribute to the backing of the red and white army ahead of Saturday’s sold out trip to Bolton Wanderers.
Sunderland continue their Sky Bet League One campaign this weekend when they travel to the University of Bolton Stadium to take on Keith Hill’s side.
Rooted to the foot of the table with -10 points from their opening seven games, the Trotters have it all to do while the Black Cats will be determined to rack up another three points after being held at home to Rotherham United on Tuesday evening.
Speaking to safc.com, Ozturk, 26, hailed the club’s fine support, which will see more than 4,000 fans make the journey to the north west on Saturday, before talking about the need to break Sunderland’s clean sheet duck this season.
“We look at the Bolton game like any other game,” he said. “They can be in a different mood to what they were last weekend when Rotherham beat them 6-1.
“We will treat this like a normal game. We will prepare like normal to try and get the victory.
“Our fans are amazing and to have 4,000 at Bolton is absolutely fantastic.
“If they are behind us, then everything will be okay. They really can be the difference for the team.”
He continued: ““It was frustrating to not have picked up the three points against Rotherham.
“If we look at the chances that we missed, not even including the penalty in the first half, then we should have come out of the game as comfortable winners.
“You want to win every game at home, but it wasn’t to be.
“If we win every game but don’t keep a clean sheet then you are happy, but it makes it harder to win football matches if you aren’t keeping the opposition out.
“It will come. I don’t think Rotherham had many chances and they were clinical with the one they got. So, I know that we will start to keep clean sheets in the coming weeks.”
