Rodwell says Sunderland’s slow starts must stop

Jack Rodwell has warned his Sunderland team-mates that they can’t afford to start this year’s Premier League season slowly.

It took another Sam Allardyce relegation-fight special to ensure the Black Cats survived last season and Rodwell has urged Sunderland not to allow last season’s momentum to fizzle out.

With a trip to Manchester City in his first competitive game at the Sunderland helm, new manager David Moyes could hardly have asked for a sterner test.

But former City midfielder Rodwell believes that if Moyes’ men can harness their relegation-fight mentality, then they can excel against Pep Guardiola’s men.

“We have carried on from last season because in the back end of the season we started to click with the new signings and we played some great football,” the 25-year-old said.

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“In pre-season we have looked solid, we have kept things tight and we have played well as a team.

“We can’t look past this weekend because it’s a big game at Man City, we want to get off to a good start so we have got to be on it.

“We have taken the momentum from last season into our training and everyone is on it. If we can carry that on into the new season then I’m sure we will do really well.

“It’s what you are waiting for at the first day of pre-season and we can’t wait to get going.”