Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe believes that the club’s pre-season tour of North America will provide the perfect preparation for the upcoming campaign.

The Black Cats departed for Northern California over the weekend as they get set for three friendlies.

The Premier League side will line up against Sacramento Republic in their first fixture on July 14 at Bonney Field before facing Mexican outfit Pachuca at the same venue.

Sunderland, who are priced at 2.75 to be relegated, will then fly further north to Canada to face MLS side Toronto FC in their final outing at BMO Field on July 22.

The north-east outfit have established a link up with the Canadian outfit having exchanged Jozy Altidore for Defoe last term.

Defoe, who made 19 appearances for Toronto FC and scored 11 times, believes the trip will help to give the squad a good test ahead of what he expects to be a tough Premier League campaign.

“Going to places like America and playing against teams out there is fantastic,” said the striker. “Even though it’s pre-season you want to try and win all the games and take that into the season.

“The teams over there are very fit because the facilities over in America have got everything, and the conditions are warm so it’s almost like you are working twice as hard but it’s good because you come back twice as fit.”

Boss Dick Advocaat, who agreed to stay on after keeping the club up last season, admitted that the trip will be demanding both mentally and physically.

The Dutchman feels the change in time zones will make training more difficult but insists they will do everything to come back raring to go.

“The tour will be a very demanding trip,” he said. “We’re travelling to San Francisco, which has a different time and different weather, so we have to look at everything and ensure when we come back we’re in the right shape.”