'˜Energy' from Sunderland support can power Black Cats to much needed home win against Reading

The Black Cats have not won at the Stadium of Light since last December and, on Saturday, face a Reading side fresh from beating Barnsley 3-0 on Tuesday night.

Confidence is high in the Black Cats’ camp after the win at Burton last weekend, however, and Honeyman says his side must follow Coleman’s lead even if things don’t go their way in the early stages of the contest.

The Welshman has tinkered with the team’s tactics, and Honeyman wants the team to stay confident in the plans.

Honeyman said: “It’s pretty obvious we want to get rid of that (home record), but we can’t be nervous and get bogged down if something goes wrong in the first 10 minutes.

“We’ve just got to focus on ourselves and our performance and hopefully it will follow.

“I don’t think we’ve been turning up just hoping in the last couple of (home) games, we’ve come out with a gameplan. We know what’s wanted from us and if we stick to it, we believe we will win the game.”

Honeyman paid tribute to the Sunderland support after a sell-out following roared them to victory at the Pirelli Stadium, where he grabbed the crucial second goal in a 2-0 win.

He said: “They’re incredible fans and to sell out another away end considering where we are in the league and how things have been going, it’s incredible.

“They just want to see their team do well, that’s all they want. When we can do well it’s amazing to play in front of them and hear how happy it makes them.

“It just gives you such a good energy when you hear them singing.”