Sunderland winger Kieran Richardson says he has no attachment to West Ham United ahead of this weekend's clash.

Richardson is a former Hammers junior.

"I'm not emotionally attached to West Ham at all. I didn't play in the first team. I left when I was 14, so I shouldn't really be," he said. "I have people there who I know. I have friends there. I never get grief there. It was a great place to learn. You were around the first team. Frank Lampard was there, Rio Ferdinand was there. Joe Cole was there. Ian Wright was there and he gave me his boots.

"They are going through a hard time but they have recovered in the last couple of games, beating Wigan and Manchester United, so things can change like that. That is what is great about the English league. It will be tough."