He believes the strengthening of the squad this summer puts the club on course for a solid campaign ahead – starting against Liverpool at the Stadium of Light on Saturday (5.30pm).

And he is hoping that this will be his breakthrough season at the highest level, having notched six goals in his debut campaign for Sunderland and finished as the club's second top scorer behind Kenwyne Jones.

Of course, Chopra got Sunderland off to the best possible start last season when he scored a last-minute winner against Spurs in the first game of the campaign.

The 24-year-old said: "Coming to Sunderland last year, with my past at Newcastle, I knew it would be tough for me.

"But the fans and everyone at the club have been great and I think it will be a very different season for us this year."

Players of the quality of Teemu Tainio, Steed Malbranque, Pascal Chimbonda and El-Hadji Diouf have impressed him first hand in training and the Tynesider feels has helped take the squad to a higher level.

"The players the manager has brought in are fantastic," he enthused.

"When you look at the quality he has brought in and what they have done for the team, there is a lot to look forward to.

"They are so comfortable on the ball and that has an impact on the players around them.

"I'm sure we won't be fighting relegation this season because the players we have got are capable of handling situations in the Premiership that perhaps we couldn't last year.

"If we can stay clear of the relegation battle then that would be a step forward and that's how you succeed in this league, one step at a time.