Phil Parkinson’s side are set to play host to Kenny Jackett’s Portsmouth at the Stadium of Light on Saturday in League One.
The Wearside outfit, who are currently fifth in the league standings, are enjoying an unbeaten run in the third tier as they continue their quest to get back into the Championship.
Gooch is of the view that winning against Pompey at home is important for his team building on the momentum that they have gained so far this season as fixtures are now starting to come quickly.
Parkinson’s side have been defensively solid this season, having managed to keep clean sheets in their last five league outings, and Gooch is confident that his team can clinch all three points on Saturday as the entire Sunderland camp are stepping up.
“We’ve had back-to-back wins, and we’ve done what we needed to do in our last couple of games”, Gooch told Sunderland’s official site.
“That’s important for our momentum, especially going into the weekend and having the number of games coming up that we have.
“We’ve been solid defensively, everyone’s doing their jobs, and we’re able to build ourselves a platform to create chances like we did on Tuesday night against Crewe.”
Gooch has played in all six of Sunderland’s League One games, with Parkinson using the American’s versatility to good effect.
