Bolton Wanderers midfielder MJ Williams has admitted that his side will be looking to send out a signal of intent to the rest of the division in their clash with Sunderland this weekend.

The Trotters have made a relatively positive start to the 2021/22 campaign after sealing promotion from League Two earlier this year.

Currently eighth in the third-tier, Bolton could potentially move above the likes of AFC Wimbledon and Rotherham in the league standings on Saturday depending on the outcome of results elsewhere.

Set to face a Sunderland side who won five of their opening seven league games, Bolton will know that they will have to be at their very best if they are to secure all three points at the Stadium of Light.

Making reference to his side's upcoming clash, Williams has suggested that the Trotters will be aiming to bounce back from their recent defeat to Rotherham by producing a positive performance against Sunderland on Saturday.

Speaking to The Bolton News ahead of his side's showdown with the Black Cats, the midfielder said: "I think it will be a great game to go out and express ourselves."

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"It’s a big stadium, usually a good atmosphere with loads of fans as well, and we’ll hopefully have a fair few there as well.

"It is a good one to concentrate on now and show how good we really are, make a statement.

"We are gutted about the Rotherham game but there’s a chance to turn it around, and with Charlton [Athletic] on Tuesday, we can get back on a roll pretty quickly."

The Verdict

Whilst Bolton manager Ian Evatt will know that his side will have to be at their very best to secure a positive result this weekend, there is no reason why the club cannot provide a test for Sunderland.

An ever-present in the heart of midfield this season, Williams has already produced some encouraging displays for his side in the third-tier.

Particularly impressive against Oxford United last month, the midfielder managed to provide an assist in this fixture as he helped his side clinch a 2-1 victory by registering a respectable WhoScored match rating of 6.68 at the University of Bolton Stadium.

If the Trotters are able to deliver the goods this weekend, they could use the momentum gained from this result to push on in League One in the coming months.