Source: Northern_Echo
Campbell injury signals Bruce’s plea for new face
STEVE BRUCE has urged chairman Niall Quinn to step up his search for a striker after learning that Sunderland's first win over Manchester City in ten years has arrived at a cost.[LNB] Bruce will learn today whether his worst fears have been realised, after Fraizer Campbell had to be stretchered off with suspected damaged knee ligaments at the end of the first half.[LNB] Sunderland are now braced to hear that the former Manchester United forward will be out of action for eight weeks.[LNB] It leaves Sunderland with just Darren Bent, last night named in the England squad, Danny Welbeck and Martyn Waghorn as his fit strikers, having sold Kenwyne Jones to Stoke earlier this month.[LNB] Quinn did fly back from France on Saturday night after holding productive talks with Rennes over the possible arrival of Ghana's Asamoah Gyan, with Sunderland hoping to conclude a clubrecord deal in excess of £10m.[LNB] But with the transfer window due to close at 6pm tomorrow, time is running out for Bruce to bring in a new face.[LNB] It looked as if Fraizer has damaged his knee ligaments,[LNB] said Bruce. It doesn't look good. It is imperative we bring a body in. We are short there. He could be missing for the next couple of months.[LNB] I haven't seen Niall yet, he has been trying. We have one or two irons in the fire. It was imperative before, it's even more so now. If we do lose him for a few months then we have to get another one in.[LNB] Bruce also suggested he will not be looking to move many more of his players on now that the transfer deadline is so close, with George McCartney the most likely departure.[LNB] And if Sunderland can move on McCartney, with Birmingham interested, then Bruce hopes to use the money raised to push through a deal for Wigan's Charles N'Zogbia, who turned down a move to St Andrew's.[LNB] I'm a big admirer of Charles, he said. It's a lot of money they want for him. We will see what we have got.[LNB] It remains to be seen how many signings can be made and how many new players there will be in the Sunderland squad that travels to Wigan in 12 days time.[LNB] But Bruce, left frustrated after picking up a point from matches with Birmingham and West Brom, has been encouraged to see just what his team is capable of even if it brings back memories of last season's heroics against the top teams.[LNB] It might have taken until the fourth minute of injurytime for Darren Bent to convert the winning penalty, but it was arguably what Sunderland deserved for an impressive second half.[LNB] I'm delighted, it was a great performance from us,[LNB] said Bruce. I just said to Eric Black, my assistant, that it was the same team we had last week that lost at West Brom. That's our problem.[LNB] But everyone of them stuck at it. We rode our luck when Carlos Tevez missed his chance in the first half and he will never miss one like that again. We have conceded eight in the last few minutes of games under me, so it was nice to change our luck![LNB] Having given City something of a reality check, Bruce has warned Roberto Mancini that he will have to get used to that in the Premier League if they want to be in the title race.[LNB] With the quality they have got they have catapulted themselves in to a different league now, he said.[LNB] They are in there now. Our crowd played a part and they knew we were playing one of the top teams.[LNB] City will have to live with that with the quality they have Boateng, Kolarov and another four missing for £100m.[LNB] Whether they are good enough we will see, but they were impressive against Liverpool.[LNB] We know they will be there or thereabouts.[LNB] Sunderland follow up the trip to the DW Stadium with matches against Arsenal (h), Liverpool (a) and Manchester United (h).[LNB] Bruce said: It's not kind but it was important for us to win today.[LNB] We went to Wigan last year after beating Arsenal and didn't perform. It is in my mind already, we played 4- 5-1 against a top team and that has worked for us. It's worth thinking about.[LNB] Mancini, meanwhile, is not worried, but did admit he was surprised Manchester City allowed Sunderland too much time on the ball.[LNB] We had three or four incredible chances, but if you don't score sometimes you don't win the game, said Mancini, who would not rule out further signings before tomorrow's deadline.[LNB] I want to speak with the players and hear what they say.[LNB] Sunderland had it too easy to play football and I don't know why. It's frustrating but we have two weeks to start again.[LNB] It's not a concern. I would have preferred seven points.[LNB] We have only played three games. It's important we understand why we lost this game.[LNB]
