Sunderland’s combative midfielder Lee Cattermole believes the current squad is the best he has ‘ever been a part of’ and is confident the team can return to the top-10 this season.

The Black Cats were involved in another relegation battle last year and, had it not been for the appointment of Dick Advocaat, the club would have been sent tumbling down to the Championship.

Advocaat took over from Gus Poyet in March on a temporary deal and guided his side to three wins and three draws from their last nine Premier League matches.

The former Rangers and PSV boss has now signed a one-year contract as manager and has been busy in the transfer window, bringing in Jermain Lens, Sebastian Coates, Younes Kaboul and Adam Matthews over the summer.

Sunderland have not finished in the top-10 since 2011 and Cattermole, who was a key part in Steve Bruce’s side that season, is confident the current squad can get back to the glory days enjoyed in previous years.

“We need to look to push on and get back to the kind of heights that the club enjoyed in the Peter Reid era,” he said. “They finished seventh back then, and if you can finish in or around there, then that’s progress, and I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be competing with where Swansea, Stoke and Southampton are.”

Sunderland have been disappointing in pre-season so far, losing 2-0 to Doncaster and 3-1 to Club de Futbol Pachuca but they did end on a slight high after beating Hannover 1-0.

The Black Cats, who are priced at 3.00 to be relegated, open their Premier League account away at Leicester with the hosts 1.95 favourites, a draw is 3.50 while the visitors are outsiders at 4.20.