Steven Fletcher says he will not place any unneeded pressure on himself by creating a goalscoring target.
The Scottish striker has netted five goals in four appearances since joining Sunderland from Wolves for £12million in the summer transfer window and says all he wants to do is beat his total of 12 from last season.
"I kind of keep that [goal target] to myself," he told the Hartlepool Mail. "The first thing is to do better than last year and if I can keep improving that will keep me happy.
"I just go out and play the game the best way I can and I do not like putting that kind of pressure [of a goalscoring tally] on myself.
"You need goals and I have scored them early doors."
And Fletcher says his job so far has been made easy by the fact the Black Cats side has a number of players capable of placing the ball on a sixpence.
"I am delighted the way it has started for me here," he added. "When I came here, I knew I would get chances with the players we have and the delivery the boys are putting in has been fantastic.
"They are always giving me tap-ins or first-touch finishes.
"Normally there is just one player who can get a ball in like that, but we have several whose delivery we can rely on."
