Former West Ham United midfielder Jack Collison is happy for Sam Allardyce over his Sunderland appointment.

Collison played under Allardyce at West Ham and is now a player-coach at Peterborough United.

He told talkSPORT: “I think he will. He's got plenty of time and a transfer window in January.

“Everybody knows what Big Sam is about - he's going to go in there and bring his ideas across and I'm sure he's going to win the dressing room over. If I was a betting man I'd put a good amount of money on Sunderland staying up now.

“I think that's they key isn't it? [Sorting Sunderland's defence out]. It's important to have a foundation of which to build from and knowing Big Sam like I do, I know he's very keen to get his defence functioning well and working together.

“That's going to be high on his priority list this week, and if he can get the defence sorted then they've got some exciting players.

“He can get the best out of the likes of Jermain Defoe and Johnson and Borini. I'm sure they're going to be a dangerous team once again."