AS far as footballing nicknames go, it is certainly one of the better ones. Having been signed from Ross County, in the highlands of Scotland, and with a record of four goals from his opening five League One matches this season, Sunderland supporters have decided to brand Ross Stewart the ‘Loch Ness Drogba’.

On Saturday, as he helped fire the Black Cats to the top of the League One table for the first time since the opening afternoon of the 2018-19 season, the 25-year-old certainly made a decent job of monstering the Wycombe Wanderers defence.

“I’ve been told about the nickname,” said Stewart, who scored a goal in each half as the Black Cats moved into top spot. “A few of the lads have had a bit of banter with it. I love it though, I think it’s a cracker. Whoever came up with it deserves a bit of credit. I’ve certainly been called worse, on and off the pitch. I’m happy to go with it.”

Stewart’s contentment spreads wider than his nickname, with the Scottish striker having seized the opportunity to step out of the shadows following the departure of last season’s leading goalscorer, Charlie Wyke, in the summer.

For the first five months of his Sunderland career, an injury-troubled Stewart struggled to dislodge Wyke from the starting line-up and found his opportunities extremely limited.

When Wyke joined Wigan, it was feared he would be impossible to replace, but in the tall, athletic Stewart, Lee Johnson knew he had a player desperate to prove himself in his new surrounds.

The Sunderland manager’s faith has been justified, with Stewart not only delivering goals in the opening month of the season, but also displaying an aptitude for intelligent movement and neat link-up play that has enabled the Black Cats to evolve the playing style they were forced to adopt to service Wyke last term.

“I always back myself to do well,” said Stewart. “Charlie obviously had a great season here last year, his goal return was immense, so they’re big shoes to fill. But when I’ve grown up playing football, this is what I’ve been after.

“I want to be playing at a big club, having pressure to score goals and go and win games. I’ve always asked questions of myself personally – can I cope with that and relish it? I’ve never played for a club as big as this or in front of a home crowd as big as this one, but I’m thriving off it.”

That much was evident at the weekend, as Stewart’s two goals helped Sunderland inflict Wycombe’s first defeat of the season.

His 14th-minute opener saw him ease himself between two defenders to head home Elliot Embleton’s cross, while his second, with seven minutes remaining, came courtesy of an emphatic finish after Dan Neil’s through ball released him into the left-hand side of the box.

Embleton was Sunderland’s other goalscorer, curling home a superb strike from the corner of the 18-yard box after a neat one-two with Lynden Gooch, and while Wycombe claimed a stoppage-time consolation through a deflected shot from substitute David Wheeler, the Black Cats’ victory was thoroughly deserved.

“The team is playing really well, and with the gaffer’s style, everybody knows what’s expected of them,” said Stewart.

“With all that mixing together and combining, I think you’re seeing a really good team at the minute.

“It’s just down to us now to keep building. It’s been a really good start, and if we can keep playing like that and how we’ve played in previous games this season, then I’m sure we can go on and win a lot of games this year.”