The Black Cats have now been stuck in the third tier of the English pyramid for four seasons and fans are desperate to see promotion happen this term.
Sunderland come into the weekend game against Cambridge undefeated in their last ten outings but the U’s have this month picked up the scalps of among others, table-topping Wigan Athletic and Ipswich Town, both on the road too.
Bonner thinks it must undoubtedly be difficult to pull on a Sunderland shirt while dealing with all the expectations and he fears that the Black Cats’ good run may have come too late in the season.
The U’s boss is expecting an electric atmosphere at the Stadium of Light this weekend but he will be looking to guide his team to a win and sap the energy of the home crowd.
“I think when you play at a club like Sunderland, we’ve seen it against a few teams, it’s a heavy shirt to wear, because the expectations are so big, and therefore that can sometimes take its toll”, Bonner was quoted as saying by Cambridgeshire Live.
“I think in recent weeks they’re finding really good consistency and form at a time when you need it at this stage of the season.
“The problem is, there are a lot of teams doing that, or teams above them that have lost a little bit of rhythm have got the cushion.
“It’s going to go to the wire, and I’m sure for them, this game’s a pivotal one, and one they look at and think ‘right, we need three points from this one, because this would set us up nicely for the last weekend’.”
Sunderland will be looking to get maximum points against Cambridge this weekend to continue their pursuit of the playoffs and take advantage of their one game in hand over sixth-placed Wycombe Wanderers.
