This is what Lee Johnson is expecting from 'tough' Cheltenham Town test

Lee Johnson says Cheltenham Town will offer 'tough' opposition at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night.
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Sunderland are looking to maintain their 100% home record in League One this season, but Michael Duff' s side have made an impressive start to life in the third tier this season.

Though they were beaten 2-0 by Wigan Athletic on Saturday, wins over Charlton Athletic and Oxford United in the early stages of the season have shown their capabilities.

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Duff has had an excellent start to his management career and Johnson has warned his side to expect a stern test.

Sunderland boss Lee JohnsonSunderland boss Lee Johnson
Sunderland boss Lee Johnson

"I think Cheltenham are a club who have done really well," he said.

"It's a club I know well, my dad was manager there and took them up from non-league into the league.

"We had a lot of players who we loaned there from Bristol City, so I've got an understanding of the manager there and his coaching team.

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"Having come from Burnley, you see a lot of that structure come out in Cheltenham's performances as well.

"He's his own man with his own ideas, but you can see that he has worked under a Premier League manager and a very good one at that for a number of years."

Johnson is weighing up whether or not to freshen up his Sunderland side after a tough contest against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon and ahead of another challenging fixture away at Portsmouth this weekend.

The Black Cats are monitoring Dennis Cirkin, who suffered a suspected concussion on Saturday, and Callum Doyle, who has a minor back injury.

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Lynden Gooch will miss out due to a foot problem but could return this weekend.

"We'll assess it and I'll speak to the fitness coaches and physios," Johnson said.

"I'll speak to the lads as well and see where they are it, I'm always really careful to make sure I'm not picking my next team directly after a game because there are so many things that can come to the fore.

"But I'm pretty confident that whatever team we put will be very competitive in a very different game, but also a tough game as well."

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