Source: PA
Bruce boosted by return of attacking options
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is ready to go back on the offensive as he targets a strong finish to the season.
Injuries have severely limited the manager's options in recent months with Danny Welbeck's absence in the wake of Darren Bent's departure in particular proving costly.
The Black Cats slipped to their sixth defeat in seven Barclays Premier League outings at Manchester City on Sunday and have not scored in seven hours 20 minutes of football stretching back to Asamoah Gyan's early strike in the 2-1 home defeat by Tottenham on February 12.
However, Welbeck's return from a knee injury gives Bruce another option, and he has hinted that the 4-5-1 system which has proved so unproductive in recent weeks could be abandoned for a more progressive approach for West Brom's visit to the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
He told the club's official website: "There will be a very different slant on things. We have worked on the basics all week as a team. With the losses we have had, we have had to play one up front and play some different systems.
"Now we have a few bodies back we can revert to type, a 'Steve Bruce' team if you like, similar to the Sunderland we saw in previous months. Players coming back give us a different option."
