Crystal Palace forward Connor Wickham has confessed that he struggled in his time at Sunderland as he prepares to face his old club for the first time.

The 22-year-old joined the Black Cats for £8m in 2011 from Ipswich Town, but failed to break into the first team until the end of the 2013-14 campaign when his five strikes proved to be vital in keeping the club in the Premier League.

However, Wickham endured another underwhelming campaign the following season, scoring six goals in 40 appearances before he completed a £9m switch to Palace in the summer.

Wickham told the club's official website: "My time in the North was very 'up and down,' I didn't have the greatest time. I needed a confidence booster from somewhere and I got it when I went to Sheffield [Wednesday].

"I went out on loan and scored some goals, then I came back, I felt good, I felt confident again and now that I've moved here I feel more confident than I've ever been before."

Wickham is expected to be fit to face Sunderland at Selhurst Park on Monday.