David Meyler is happy to be back in first team training at Sunderland after recovering from long-term injury.

He welcomes the extra midfield competition and is happy to learn from his rivals while plotting a way back into Steve Bruce's first XI.

"We are all looking forward to turning this run around and when we do we will move up the table," Meyler told safc.com.

"There is so much competition now and that inspires you to make yourself better as a player.

"All the midfielders here have different elements to their game and I am learning different things from each one of them.

"The manager wants players fighting for places and that is helpful because you know there's always someone waiting to come in and replace you if you have a bad game."