Sunderland FC

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• Founded:1879
• Manager:Steve Bruce

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Injuries cloud Black Cats win

18 Oct 2009 - 10:34:53

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Sunderland manager Steve Bruce admitted that injuries to three key players had taken the gloss off his side's impressive 1-0 victory against Liverpool.

George McCartney had to be substituted at half-time after complaining of illness, while Lee Cattermole and Kenwyne Jones were both stretchered from the pitch.

Bruce admitted after the win which lifted his side up to seventh in the table: "George was sick and struggling badly at half-time, so that was a decision we had to take then.

"Kenwyne's off to hospital with his ankle and Lee's twisted his knee. We can only wait and see how they are."

Meanwhile, Bruce thought his side deserved their victory, even though the only goal of the game came when Darren Bent's shot took a deflection off a beach ball that had been thrown on to the pitch by a fan before nestling in the back of Jose Reina's net.

The former Manchester United defender added: "That's what we all enjoy, a big, big game. The supporters were tremendous, particularly in the last seven minutes.

"They backed us all the way through. The supporters responded to the players' work-rate and commitment and we deserved to win.

"We needed a little bit of luck with the goal and things went our way."