Jermain Defoe has claimed that if Sunderland want to make a fast start this term, they need to put hard graft into their pre-season schedule.

The Black Cats narrowly escaped relegation from the Premier League last season after Sam Allardyce was brought in as Dick Advocaat's replacement in October.

In preparation for their opening league game of the season against Manchester City on August 13, Sunderland will play in friendlies against Hartlepool United and Rotherham United before travelling to France.

"We need to make sure we're flying out of the block because if you make sure you're fit the football and quality takes care of itself," Defoe told the club's official website. "The conditioning we're doing here with the sports science team is great because they know exactly what we need.

"Going away from ourselves, you look at Leicester and how they started against us on the opening day of last season – you just know they had a good pre-season in terms of conditioning – and it is one of the first things Sam [Allardyce] said to us when he came to the club."

There is some uncertainty over Allardyce's position at the Stadium of Light following the club's confirmation that he has held talks with the Football Association about becoming England manager.