CONNOR WICKHAM insists Sunderland will not be fazed by their opponents when they come face-to-face with champions Manchester City on Saturday.

The Black Cats travel to the Etihad Stadium for the lunchtime kick-off against Roberto Mancini's men, who haven't lost a league game at the Etihad Stadium since December 2010.

Martin O'Neill's side came closest to breaking that impressive home record last season when they were leading 3-1 with five minutes left.

However, two late goals earned the Blues a point and Sunderland were left to rue what might have been.

Mancini's side were subsequently crowned Premier League champions on the last day of the campaign after a dramatic comeback against Queens Park Rangers, but Wickham insists his team-mates will go to Manchester confident they can cause an upset this time.

"I remember last year Ji scored the winner in the 90th minute at ours, and then we went there and put in a brilliant performance and they scored in the last minute to get a draw," said Wickham, who was named in the England Under-21 squad for their Euro 2013 play-off double-header against Serbia alongside team-mate Danny Rose yesterday.

"The boys won't be fazed, they won't be scared. No matter who we're playing. The boys will take confidence from what we did last year and they'll know there is a chance we can go and take three points.

"You're standing in the tunnel next to the likes of Tevez and Yaya Toure, but I think it's great to be alongside those players, it's only going to benefit you.

"You can learn even from their game if they work harder than you. That's why they're some of the best players in the world and they're at Man City."

Wickham is yet to start a competitive game for the Black Cats this season and after the arrival of Steven Fletcher and Louis Saha, the 19-year-old will have to be patient.

Fletcher's £12million transfer from Wolves might have moved Wickham down the pecking order at the Stadium of Light, but the teenager understands he has to work hard to put himself in to contention.

He said: "Steven's a great lad, everyone has taken to him straight away.

"He's only 26 so there are a few good young strikers at the club. But it's down to me to show the manager that even though I am young, I am good enough to get into his team.

"We are undefeated this season and to get that win at the weekend was brilliant. All the boys are buzzing. We are gelling as a squad now and we are looking more secure then we were maybe at the start of pre-season."

Wickham has also been impressed by another new boy, Adam Johnson, and together with James McClean, believes the Black Cats will score more goals with the pair in the team.

He said: "To have both of them two whipping the ball in is what a striker wants.

"They want balls in the box and those two can do just that. When they're both playing and both fully fit I think we can score a lot more goals."

*Wickham was speaking at an event at Sunderland College's Bede campus to promote The Just Play Free for One Week event next week, where Mars and The FA are making Just Play sessions free across 150 venues in the UK from October 8.

People can now sign up to the Just Play Free for One Week initiative by searching online for "Just Play". The website features a search engine that allows players to find their nearest centre and sign up for their free session of football.

James Hair, student enrichment officer at Sunderland College said: "Today has been a fantastic opportunity for our students to get involved in an incredibly worthwhile event, promoting sport, health and fitness.

"Having Sunderland College chosen to host an event of this calibre demonstrates the quality of facilities we have here for use by our students and the wider community.

"And we are continually looking at ways to improve our offer, which is why we are investing in the future and building new state-of-the-art learning facilities for our sports science students."