"You can feel something special" - Sunderland star drops exciting Black Cats claim | OneFootball

Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Moore has given his view on his side's excellent start to the season in the Championship.

Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Moore believes it could be an exciting season for the club after their outstanding start to the campaign in the Championship.

It was an incredibly underwhelming season for Sunderland last term as they finished 16th in the table, and fears of another disappointing campaign increased after the lengthy search for Michael Beale's permanent replacement over the summer that went on for over 120 days.

However, the Black Cats eventually appointed Regis Le Bris as their new head coach, and the Frenchman has enjoyed an excellent start to his tenure at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland secured their third consecutive victory with a dominant 2-0 home win over Oxford United on Saturday, with goals in each half from Jobe Bellingham and Wilson Isidor sealing another three points.

The Black Cats currently sit top of the Championship table, and they are five points clear of second-placed Burnley and third-placed Leeds United ahead of the game against struggling Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road on Saturday.

Simon Moore issues confident Sunderland claim

Moore made his first league start for Sunderland in the win over Oxford on Saturday following his summer move from Coventry City, and he believes that something special is building at the club as their impressive run of form continues.

“It couldn’t have gone much better. The lads made it easy for me!" Moore told the club's official website.

"We’ve got a really good group of boys here, you can feel something special.

"They are such talented lads and a lot of them have had one or two seasons in the Championship now and you can really see that experience over the last two years coming to the forefront.

"We’ve just got to keep working hard, keep doing what we are doing. For me personally though, it was a special day to make my debut for the football club."

Le Bris praised Moore for his performance at the weekend, but it remains to be seen how long the 34-year-old will keep his place between the sticks, with the head coach revealing that he does not expect number one Anthony Patterson to be sidelined for too long.

"We don't know exactly (on the extent of Patterson’s injury) at the minute, but it shouldn't be too serious," Le Bris told The Northern Echo.

"We saw today that Simon did well. Even with few actions, you can feel if a player is in the game and at the level, and he was.

"He prepared very well for this since the start of the summer, so serious and clear in the way he prepares every day. He deserved this performance, and we were so confident in him today."

Few had heard of Le Bris when he arrived on Wearside in the summer, but he has made a remarkable impact, and the Black Cats already have a significant lead at the top of the Championship.

Sunderland will face strong competition from the likes of Burnley and Leeds for automatic promotion, but with a young, talented squad, there is no doubt that they are serious top two contenders.

The fact that Moore, who has spent much of the season sitting on the bench, is speaking so positively about the situation at the club shows the strong team spirit that Le Bris has instilled in his squad, and that is exactly the attitude the Black Cats will need if they are to maintain their promotion push.