Bruce is worried after Bent injury

10 August 2010 10:11
STEVE BRUCE'S preparations for Saturday's Premier League opener against Birmingham City have been rocked by the prospect of having to manage without last season's leading goalscorer Darren Bent.[LNB] A back problem looks to have robbed the Sunderland striker of the chance to make an impression on England boss Fabio Capello in tomorrow night's friendly against Hungary and it also puts a question mark over his chances of featuring this weekend.[LNB] Bent sat out training with the England players yesterday but remained with the squad ahead of a game where Capello will bid to rebuild shattered confidence following his side's dismal campaign in South Africa.[LNB] But of greater concern to Bruce is the prospect of being without the player who netted 24 times in the league last year, accounting for 50 per cent of the Wearsiders' total goal haul.[LNB] Bent started every Premier League match last season, but his scare ahead of Saturday's curtain-raiser potentially exposes the lack of goals throughout the Sunderland squad.[LNB] Kenwyne Jones managed just nine strikes last season.[LNB] The Trinidad and Tobago international was on the scoresheet in Sunderland's 3-1 defeat at Hoffenheim on Sunday and Bruce could now turn to Jones to lead the line against Alex McLeish's side.[LNB] Bent's possible absence will also open the way for Fraizer Campbell to continue his stunning pre-season form that's seen him grab six goals in seven games.[LNB] Sunderland have struggled during pre-season, but Campbell has been one of the exceptions prompting Bruce to tip the former Under-21 cap for senior England honours.[LNB] Bruce will attempt to bolster his attacking options this week by pushing through a season-long loan deal for Manchester United forward Danny Welbeck despite competition from Blackpool and Bolton.[LNB] Bent's injury is the latest setback for the striker who, after missing the cut to feature in Capello's World Cup Finals squad, was scheduled to partner Wayne Rooney at Wembley tomorrow.[LNB] Sunderland have dismissed reports they are set to off-load Argentinian right-back Marcos Angeleri only a month after the defender joined from Estudiantes in a £1.5m deal.[LNB] A knee injury to the Argentina international will delay his debut in English football but the 27-year-old insists he is gradually acclimatising to life on Wearside.[LNB] Angeleri said: Yes, I am adapting to the team, the group, the language and I believe that once I learn to speak more English it will be much easier.[LNB] I like the club a lot and the way the team plays.[LNB]

Source: Northern_Echo