Sunderland 'on track' for promotion says Mason Burstow, as he revels in Black Cats role
Sunderland's on-loan Chelsea striker Mason Burstow is convinced he made the right decision to join the Black Cats
Mason Burstow is convinced he made the right choice to join Sunderland - saying the club is 'on track' for promotion to the Premier League. Chelsea striker Burstow turned down offers from a number of clubs - reportedly including Italian giants AC Milan - to join the Black Cats on a season-long loan deal on deadline day and has started each of the last four games.
Burstow has previously spent time on loan at League One Charlton Athletic but the Championship is a significant step up for him, and he is relishing the challenge of helping the club challenge for promotion to the top flight. "It's proven to be the right choice," Burstow said of his move to Wearside, following the Black Cats' 3-0 win at basement side Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night.
"I'm enjoying it here, the fans are amazing, the club is amazing, the staff, the players are all good with me. I'm settled now, have just moved into my place so hopefully performances keep coming like Friday.
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"I knew a lot about the club [before I arrived]. I played against them when I was at Charlton before and it's a great club with a great fanbase.
"It's a club that wanted me from the start. It was a no-brainer when it came up as an option.
"It's a club that is on track to get promoted to the Premier League. There are things you want to do when you are growing up, play in a league like that.
"Playing with this team feels really good. It's a young team, everyone likes each other and there's no bad energy anywhere so it's an amazing feeling."
The 20-year-old has yet to open his goalscoring account for Sunderland but turned in his best performance so far in the win at Hillsborough, when he provided an assist for Jack Clarke's first goal and then won the penalty which Clarke converted for his second and Sunderland's third on the night. Burstow said: "It was a great game, a great result.
"We deserved every point and I think we were the better team by far. If you look at it from a selfish point of view, I would have liked to have scored as well but you can't complain when you get an assist and contribute to the team winning."
Sunderland led 2-0, thanks to goals inside the first ten minutes from Dan Ballard and then Clarke, before Burstow's shirt was pulled by Bambo Diaby which resulted in the penalty that was slotted in by Clarke. Burstow said: "He's on top form, Jack, so deserves to keep scoring on the form he is because he's helping us out massively."
Burstow was one of four strikers to arrive at Sunderland over the summer, the others being Portuguese Luis Hemir, Ukrainian Nazariy Rusyn, and Spaniard Eliezer Mayenda. Mayenda has yet to make his debut as he recovers from an injury, but he will soon join the other three and that add to the competition for places.
Burstow said: "Of course there is a selfish side where you want to play every game and score every goal, that happen in every game. As a team we have a great project going on and great players on the bench.
"Everyone is fighting for their shirt every week. If I do have to miss a game because there are three games in a week then so be it but I know Tony [Mowbray, Sunderland's head coach] is thinking of us and I will come on eventually and play a part."