Sunderland got their first win of the campaign against Fulham on Sunday

Nordi Mukiele says he is determined to prove Sunderland's critics wrong again this season after their first win of the campaign against Fulham.

Many pundits have backed Sunderland for another season of struggle this season, with most bookmakers again making them one of the strongest contenders for relegation. Sunderland's defeat to Ipswich Town led to Jamie Carragher predicting their relegation on Monday Night Football but Mukiele says the squad are up to the challenge of proving people wrong once more.

"It's very positive to win because again I hear some things outside about us that I don't like this, that we will go back down and things like this," Mukiele said.

"They can say what they want, last season they said it as well and in the end we were wrong. We showed only them but ourselves, the city of Sunderland and the fans, that we will fight until the end. It doesn't matter what people say, we will fight until the end and I truly believe in this team. I know we will get stronger again.

"I like it, it's a challenge for us and I love this. We did last season and I just want to do it, do it again. Not we have to rest and refocus for the next game."

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Mukiele was pleased to be back in the Sunderland starting XI after recovering from an injury and paid tribute to Thomas Meunier and Granit Xhaka for the way they drove the team's performance in a difficult game against Fulham.

"I was feeling very good in pre-season before the injury but I'm seeing the positive, I'm feeling fresh and and ready to go," he said.

"We have a lot of games this season and I'm just ready for them.

"I want to put one point on Granit and Thomas as well today, because they are the oldest guys on the team today but how they run and how they fight was unbelievable. It's very positive for all of the guys, when you are 20 and you see how these guys run you just know that you have to do the same."

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