Sunderland hero Michael Chopra has revealed how former Newcastle teammate Alan Shearer told him to accept a controversial move to Wearside this summer.

After scoring the shock winner against Spurs on Saturday, former Toon striker Chopra said: "I spoke to Alan before I went to Cardiff and he said it was the right thing to do.

"This time he just said if you have a Premier team coming in for you, make the step back up. I admire him and respect him as a player and a man and if I can achieve at Sunderland half of what he did at Newcastle, I'll be a happy man.

"I was desperate to start because I knew I had to win over some of the Sunderland fans. I knew some had doubts about me coming but they probably love me now.

"There was never a flicker of doubt in my mind about coming because it was Sunderland. I jumped at the chance.

"When someone like Roy Keane comes in for you, a man of his calibre and someone who has achieved what he has in the game, it means a lot. Sunderland were in the Premiership and it was a big opportunity to show I can play in the Premier."