Sunderland freefall goes on

February 2, 2010

Sunderland failed to halt their slide towards the relegation quagmire after Stoke claimed a deserved point in an uninspiring goalless stalemate here on Monday.

The draw means Steve Bruce’s side, who started the season in such promising fashion they were being tipped as contenders for Europe, have now won only once in their last 14 league matches and they are just four points above the bottom three.

Stoke had the better of the chances, with former Sunderland player Dean Whitehead enjoying a couple of good chances, although the hosts could justifiably claim they had been denied a second-half penalty following an apparent handball by Robert Huth.

Whitehead had the best chance of a lacklustre opening period with less than three minutes on the clock.

The forward did well to get clear of the home side’s back line but his tame shot was comfortably smothered by Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

Kenwyne Jones forced Thomas Sorensen into his first save of the evening in the 10th minute but the Trinidad and Tobago forward could not generate enough power in his shot after Michael Turner had headed down Andy Reid’s free-kick invitingly.

Steed Malbranque was narrowly off target and it required a smart clearance from Ryan Shawcross to prevent Darren Bent from opening the scoring.

Bent then created an opening for Malbranque with a cute dummy but the Frenchman’s shot did not seriously test Sorensen.

Whitehead was fortunate that referee Howard Webb appeared to be in a lenient mood, dispensing only a booking after the Stoke player kicked out at Lee Cattermole following a robust challenge from Sunderland’s midfield enforcer.

Sunderland had just about edged the first half on points, but Stoke should have taken the lead after generating two good chances in quick succession in the opening minutes of the second half.

Mamady Sidibe almost converted following a chipped Glenn Whelan free-kick, then Whitehead attempted to drill home the loose ball only for John Mensah to deflect it over the crossbar.

Sunderland had a strong penalty appeal turned down just after the hour mark when Huth appeared to stop Bent’s lofted pass with his arm.

But Stoke might easily have emerged with all three points after Ricardo Fuller was sent clear with nine minutes left. The striker had only Gordon to beat but the Scots stopper stood firm to deny him, ensuring a result which was probably just about right.

SUNDERLAND (AFP)

Tags: Andy, andy reid, cattermole, Craig Gordon, Darren Bent, free kick, Howard Webb, john mensah, Jones, kenwyne jones, Lee Cattermole, less than three minutes, loose ball, Michael Turner, quagmire, Reid, ricardo fuller, robert huth, Ryan Shawcross, scotland, shawcross, steed malbranque, Steve Bruce, Sunderland, thomas sorensen, trinidad and tobago, uninspiring, whelan, whitehead

Everton pile on the misery for Sunderland

January 28, 2010

Tim Cahill and Landon Donovan fired Everton to a 2-0 win over free-falling Sunderland as the Merseyside club’s revival gathered steam at Goodison Park on Wednesday.

Cahill’s seventh-minute header was quickly followed by Donovan’s first strike since his loan move from Los Angeles Galaxy and Sunderland never looked like recovering.

Steve Bruce’s strugglers, who went into the match with only one win in their previous 12 league matches, handed new signing Matthew Kilgallon a debut in defence and had influential midfielder Lee Cattermole back after more than a month out with a hamstring injury.

Everton recalled Leon Osman in place of Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and had injury victims Mikel Arteta, James Vaughan and Victor Anichebe, as well as loan signing Philippe Senderos, on the bench.

Everton needed only seven minutes to take the lead through Cahill. After making good progress down the left, Leighton Baines cut the ball back for Marouane Fellaini who, in turn, sent in a cross to the near post.

Cahill met it with a clever, flicked header that found the far corner of Craig Gordon’s net.

Baines and Cahill were both involved in Everton’s second with the defender punting a long ball forward and Cahill heading it into the path of Donovan, who beat Gordon from the edge of the area with a low left-foot drive.

It was the United States international’s first strike since joining Everton earlier this month.

Kenwyne Jones, who had been dropped to the Sunderland bench following weeks of speculation about a move away from the Stadium of Light, was introduced midway through the first half after Kieran Richardson went off with an ankle injury.

But Everton continued to dominate and Cahill could have claimed his second of the night after Louis Saha’s knock-on found him in the six-yard box but the Australian could only manage an uncharacteristically weak header.

Cattermole made way for Andy Reid at half-time while full-back John Mensah switched positions with centre-half Nyron Nosworthy.

But Everton kept coming and almost made it 3-0 when Osman released Donovan, who went round Gordon but saw his goalbound shot blocked by George McCartney.

A minute later Mensah produced a last-ditch tackle to deny Saha and Osman should have done better after being played in by Donovan.

With Everton in control, manager David Moyes could afford to send on Arteta and Vaughan for late runarounds, underlining how little threat Sunderland had posed.

LIVERPOOL (AFP)

Tags: andy reid, ankle injury, cattermole, Craig Gordon, David Moyes, far corner, foot drive, Galaxy, George McCartney, Goodison Park, james vaughan, john mensah, kieran richardson, landon donovan, Lee Cattermole, leighton baines, leon osman, Liverpool, los angeles galaxy, Louis, louis saha, matthew kilgallon, Mensah, Merseyside, Mikel Arteta, minute header, philippe senderos, Steve Bruce, tim cahill, united states international, Vaughan, Victor Anichebe

Crunch time looms in EPL title race

January 27, 2010

The English Premier League title battle enters a potentially decisive phase on Wednesday as Arsenal and Chelsea go into tough fixtures aiming to replace Manchester United at the top of the table.

United claimed top spot at the weekend with a Wayne Rooney-inspired 4-0 demolition of Hull, but Arsenal will move back above them and into pole position if they can take all three points from their trip to Aston Villa, a side chasing a top four finish themselves.

Chelsea, who are level on points with the Gunners but have played a game less, entertain Birmingham, who have put together an impressive 15-match unbeaten run in all competitions.

Wednesday’s programme also sees Blackburn entertain Lancashire neighbours Wigan with both clubs uncomfortably close to the relegation zone, while Everton will seek to bounce back from the disappointment of their weekend FA Cup exit at the hands of Birmingham when they take on Steve Bruce’s Sunderland.

With Manchester United due at the Emirates on Sunday, it is arguably Arsenal who have most to lose on Wednesday with Arsene Wenger’s men starting a run of matches which also includes clashes with Chelsea and Liverpool.

The importance Wenger attaches to that sequence of fixtures was reflected in his making nine changes from the side that beat Bolton last Wednesday for the FA Cup tie at Stoke at the weekend.

The likes of William Gallas were sorely missed as the Gunners went out of the Cup but Wenger will regard that as a bearable setback if his squad are still in contention for their first league title since 2004 in a month’s time.

“Our selection at Stoke was simple,” the Frenchman said. “Take a look at our schedule and you must see we cannot play the same 11 every time. That is for sure.”

Birmingham defender Roger Johnson will realise a lifelong dream when he plays at Chelsea for the first time.

The former Cardiff player was brought up a Chelsea fan and while he will be trying his hardest to put a dent in their campaign, he expects Carlo Ancelotti’s men to go on and lift the title.

“I still get to watch as many Chelsea games as I can, mainly mid-week when Birmingham are not playing, and John Terry is a player I look up to,” Johnson said.

“I think they’ll win the league. They have been better than most sides this season. Manchester United haven’t been quite as good as in previous seasons. Arsenal have come up on the rails in recent weeks but Chelsea have that strength to grind results out.

“They’ve done that for most of the season and, if they have a good second half, they should easily win the title.”

Wednesday’s fixtures

Aston Villa v Arsenal (1945 GMT), Blackburn v Wigan (2000 GMT), Chelsea v Birmingham (1945 GMT), Everton v Sunderland (2000 GMT)

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: arsene wenger, Birmingham, cardiff, carlo ancelotti, CHELSEA, chelsea fan, clashes, contention, decisive phase, disappointment, emirates, English Premier League, fa cup tie, frenchman, gunners, HULL, john terry, Lancashire, lifelong dream, london, Manchester, manchester united, pole position, premier league, relegation zone, Roger Johnson, setback, Steve Bruce, Sunderland, wayne rooney, Wayne Rooney-inspired, William Gallas

Chelsea make light of Drogba absence

January 17, 2010

Carlo Ancelotti believes Nicolas Anelka has shown he can cover for the loss of Didier Drogba following the striker?s two-goal display in the 7-2 thrashing of Sunderland.

Drogba is on international duty with Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations, leaving Anelka as the club’s senior striker during January.

Anelka?s display against a hapless Sunderland suggested he is ready to rise to the challenge as Chelsea took their tally to 12 goals in two games without their four-strong contingent of African players.

Ancelotti said: “We played a lot of times without Didier and Nicolas did very well in the past. And also he did very well today. Nicolas is a fantastic striker, he is a top striker, and we are very happy to have him in our squad.”

Midfielders Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel are in Angola along with Drogba’s Ivory Coast team-mate Salomon Kalou but Ancelotti is satisfied he has sufficient strength in his squad to compensate for their absence.

“I think that was maybe the best performance this season, we played very well until the end of the match,” he said.

“We started the game very well. I’m very happy because it’s an important time for us. Without the African players we maybe could have some problems. I always said I have a fantastic squad and today other players played very well. I think for us it is a good moment for us.

“I think these are important matches for us because I think we can also play without the African players.

“We missed important players because Didier is an important player for us, also the others. I have a fantastic squad and in this period I will use other players.”

The result against Sunderland will inevitably be seen as significant in the context of the Premier League title race but Ancelotti insisted his only concern is his own team?s form and not that of his rivals.

“We don’t want to send a message to the other teams,” he added. “I think this performance for us is very good because it improves our motivation, and improves our determination to do better if possible.”

Chelsea’s victory was so comfortable, Ancelotti was able to withdraw Ashley Cole and John Terry at half-time.

Cole picked up an ankle knock scoring his side?s third goal while Terry was rested ahead of a gruelling schedule of games.

“Maybe the best goal was Ashley’s goal,” said Ancelotti. “Fantastic movement, fantastic dribbling and a fantastic goal. Then he had a problem with his ankle so we took him off for precaution.

“John doesn’t have a big problem. It was precaution because we didn?t need him. It will be no problem for the next match.”

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is hopeful his lengthy injury list will be reduced ahead of their next game, the FA Cup meeting with Portsmouth.

He said: “We hope that we’ve got four or five back next week and that will give everyone a lift and a boost because it’s been a struggle over the last six weeks to be without eight, nine, 10 of your first-team players. We hope we get a few back and that will give everyone a lift.”

And the manager refused to rule out a move into the January transfer market.

He added: “The one thing I?m not going to do is panic over the hiding we’ve got at Chelsea, they can do that to a lot of teams. If there is anybody available we’ll have a look at it, but I can’t envisage me being ultra busy, that’s for sure.”

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: absence, Africa, africa cup of nations, Angola, best performance, carlo ancelotti, Cole, contingent, Drogba, Ivory Coast, John, John Obi, john obi mikel, london, match, Michael Essien, Mikel, motivation, Nicolas, Nicolas Anelka, Portsmouth, premier league, rivals, Salomon Kalou, Steve Bruce, striker, tally, team mate, two games

Zaki transfer listed by Zamalek

January 7, 2010

Zamalek have put former Wigan athletic striker Amr Zaki on the club’s transfer list. Zaki, who was labelled by former boss Steve Bruce as ”the most unprofessional player I ever worked with”, failed to show up for training on five consecutive days.

Zamalek are angry with the player and the club are ready to offload Zaki should a worthy offer be submitted, Zamalek board member Hazem Emam told local media.

“We are open to offers for Zaki. Any worthy offer will be accepted”, said Emam

“The club can no longer bear such actions. Missing training for several days without giving any explanation is an inexplicable action from a professional player like Zaki.”

“The player should have informed the technical staff of his intent to skip training. We don’t want any problems in the team.”

The controversial striker has been left out of Egypt’s squad for the African Cup of Nations. Ever since being snubbed for his reported injury, Zaki has been untraceable. Egypt manager Hassan Shehata has said he couldn’t reach the 26-year-old either.

Tags: African, african cup of nations, amalek, amr, amr zaki, board member, boss, consecutive days, Egypt, hassan, hassan shehata, Hazem, local media, manager, professional player, Steve Bruce, striker, technical staff, transfer, Wigan, Zaki

Kapo announces Wigan exit

January 5, 2010

Wigan Athletic midfielder Olivier Kapo has announced that he is set to leave the club and prepares to return to France in the next few days, after revealing that Portsmouth had shown interest in signing him.

The 29-year-old spent his early days at Auxerre before joining in Juventus in 2004 but, after loan spells at Monaco and Levante, Steve Bruce signed him for Birmingham in 2007.

Kapo followed Bruce to Wigan in 2008, but he has struggled to make an impact at the DW Stadium and, with Boulogne known to be interested, he is set to secure a loan deal at a Ligue 1 side in the near future.

“For the moment, I’m relaxing at my home in England,” he told France Football. “But I will leave Wigan – it is certain.

“My lawyer came to Wigan and spoke with those in charge at the club. Everything went well. My departure will happen in a matter of days. It will be a loan at first and then a transfer. Nothing is final yet, but I will be joining a French club.”

Asked if that club will be Boulogne, he said: “Boulogne are one of the clubs that have contacted Wigan. Contrary to what I have read, I have never said I would not be interested – I simply said that the two clubs were talking and we would see what happened.

“Since last summer, I have said that I want to return to France – not snubbed a club that is interested in me. I am open to their interest. Nothing is finalised, but what is certain is that my departure from Wigan is immiment.”

Atalanta, Olympiakos and Genoa were all rumoured to be interested, but Kapo says he has not heard anything concrete from any of those sides.

“I am not aware of anything,” he said. “Portsmouth mentioned something but they have money problems. They have to sell if they want me to join.”

Kapo also revealed Auxerre were eager to sign him during the summer but claims Wigan rejected the offer.

Tags: atalanta, auxerre, Birmingham, Boulogne, contrary, DW Stadium, England, France, france football, french club, genoa, juventus, kapo, lawyer, Ligue 1, loan deal, Monaco, money problems, Olivier Kapo, Olympiakos, Portsmouth, Steve Bruce

Faithless Ferguson sounds a familiar tone (Updates with ban)

November 13, 2009

Thursday update: Nothing to do with this incident, of course, but worth noting that Ferguson has been banished to the stands, receiving a two-match ban and a fine of 20,000 quid for the comments he made about Alan Wiley in October.

So, the FA has decided to get tough with the United boss. Are they right to do it? Read the full story here.

You might think Alex Ferguson would have realised, after half a century in the professional game, that the view from the manager’s dug-out is rarely objective or entirely accurate.

And if a referee does happen to make a mistake, which he is bound to do in the high-speed hurly-burly of a Premier League match, the Scot might also have come to the conclusion that venting your spleen at the powerless fourth official is a waste of everybody’s time.

But no, it seems not. Week after week, month after month, season after season, barely a match passes without Ferguson complaining about something that didn’t go United’s way.

On Sunday, when he might have been questioning his decision to play only one striker in a cautious approach to the showdown with Chelsea or berating his walkabout defence for failing to defend the key free kick, he found three reasons why John Terry’s goal should not have stood.

The initial foul on Ashley Cole by Darren Fletcher should not have been given, he said. Wes Brown was impeded in trying to defend the subsequent Frank Lampard free kick and Didier Drogba was offside and obscuring Edwin van der Sar’s view of the ball when it went in.

Of the hat-trick, the initial one appeared to have the most merit but any number of aggressive tackles are deemed fouls these days and Cristiano Ronaldo used to benefit as much if not more than anyone else in that regard.

The marginal contact between Drogba and Brown is also small beer in the current climate where wrestling in the box ahead of free kicks and corners has become an established part of the game. Rest assured that when Steve Bruce was patrolling the centre of United’s defence he would not have allowed himself to so easily be taken out of the game at a vital moment.

TV replays were inconclusive over Drogba’s position and, even if all three moans were justified, people have surely just stopped listening.

“You lose faith in refereeing sometimes, that’s the way the players are talking in there — it was a bad one,” he said, with Wayne Rooney chipping in by apparently mouthing “12 men” at a TV camera as he trudged off at the end.

PHOTO: Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson reacts during their English Premier League soccer match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in London November 8, 2009. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

Source

Tags: alan wiley, alex ferguson, ashley cole, cautious approach, CHELSEA, Cole, darren fletcher, didier drogba, Eddie Keogh, Edwin van der, edwin van der sar, frank lampard, free kick, free kicks, half a century, hat trick, john terry, Manchester, offside, premier league, professional game, rest assured that, ronaldo, Scot, small beer, spleen, Steve Bruce, van der sar, wayne rooney, wes brown

Spurs can stay in top four: Redknapp

November 8, 2009

Harry Redknapp admitted Tottenham were lucky to claim the win that lifted them into the top four of the Premier League.

But the Spurs boss does not see any reason why his side, who leapfrogged Manchester City with a 2-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday, cannot stay in the Champions League qualifying places.

After back-to-back league defeats, Redknapp was relieved to get back to winning ways and, with Liverpool struggling, he believes the battle for top four places is wide open.

“Man City will be right there, Aston Villa will be right there and looking to push the top four,” Redknapp said. “I think ourselves, the top four are very, very strong obviously and I think ourselves Villa and City will all be having a go.

“There’s no reason you can’t do it. It’s not impossible to do.”

Spurs were jeered off by their own supporters at half-time, despite leading through Robbie Keane’s early strike, and were fortunate that Heurelho Gomes was not sent off for bringing down Darren Bent to concede a second half penalty that the Brazilian goalkeeper then saved.

“We were very fortunate, the keeper’s had a fantastic day but that’s how it goes,” Redknapp added. “We got three points, you can play well and get nothing. We’ve got (Aaron) Lennon and (Luka) Modric to come back and when they come back we’ll play differently again.”

Tom Huddlestone went on to seal Tottenham’s win with a thunderbolt shot but Sunderland boss Steve Bruce insisted his side had suffered because referee Kevin Friend may have been influenced by the White Hart Lane crowd when he only gave Gomes a yellow card.

“For me the goalkeeper’s denied him a goalscoring opportunity so I can’t go along with the referee’s explanation to me which was he was going away from goal,” Bruce said. “That’s a load of nonsense.

“I think he’s taken the ball around him. If you look at where the ball goes, it doesn’t even go out of play, so Benty for me gets on the end of it, and yes there might be somebody on the line, but I would fancy him to score when he goes round the keeper in that situation.

“Now it might have been a different result, the reserve goalkeeper might have come on and saved it but we would have been playing against 10 men with half an hour to go so that would have given us a huge advantage.”

Bruce added: “I have to question if that had been the Stadium of Light we might have got a different decision.”

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: Aaron, Aaron Lennon, Bent, champions league, Darren, fantastic day, Goalkeeper, goalscoring opportunity, gomes, Harry Redknapp, Hart Lane, Kevin Friend, Liverpool, london, luka, man city, manchester city, open man, premier league, referee, Robbie Keane, spurs, Steve Bruce, Sunderland, tom huddlestone, Villa, white hart lane, winning ways, yellow card

Fan beaches Liverpool´s title hopes

October 18, 2009

Instant notoriety is guaranteed for a young spectator who effectively condemned Liverpool to a 1-0 defeat against Sunderland here at the Stadium of Light.

The ’supporter’, who was wearing a dark blue top – the colour of Liverpool’s city rivals Everton – has been captured on YouTube throwing a beach ball into the Liverpool penalty area during a Sunderland attack.

He could not have imagined the consequences before a shot from Darren Bent struck the ball and diverted it past goalkeeper Pepe Reina for the decisive goal in Saturday’s match.

It was an incident which provoked surprising responses from the two managers, with Liverpool’s Rafael Benitez remarkably sanguine about a goal that brought about his team’s third successive defeat.

Asked if the goal should have been disallowed, Benitez said: “It’s a technical question. It could be a goal, but it’s difficult to say. In this case, I think it should be a goal.”

Steve Bruce, the Sunderland manager, was not so certain after speaking to a referee after the game about “outside interference”.

He said: “I’ve been told the laws of the game state it should have been disallowed and the game restarted with a drop ball. But does anybody know that rule?”

Bent didn’t care who was right. He was just happy to claim a goal which meant he’d scored in each of Sunderland’s last five games.

It also moved him level with Liverpool’s Fernando Torres as the Premier League’s top scorer with eight goals.

Bent, who is staking a powerful claim for an England return, said: “It was a strange goal, but I will take it.”

While it was a freakish winner, the outcome of the game was the right one with Sunderland confirming the promise they showed in drawing at champions Manchester United a fortnight earlier.

They outclassed a Liverpool team who were deprived of Torres and Steven Gerrard through injuries and could not fill the gap in class left by those two internationals.

This was their third successive defeat and their fourth in the league this season – and no team has won the championship after losing so many times in the past decade.

However, Benitez is refusing to accept that Liverpool’s pursuit of the title is over.

He said: “This is a bad defeat, but in a normal season, teams at the top would be wining every single game.

“This is a bit different. Chelsea have lost twice and I’ve seen a lot of teams at the top losing games.

“If we win the next two or three games, we could be top of the table. It’s a question of keeping our confidence and working hard. We have to analyse things and see if we are making mistakes,” the Spaniard said.

Bruce said: “I thought we deserved it. We had three one-on-ones in the second-half and could have scored more.

“There was a great atmosphere and maybe the players have not been able to handle it in the past, but they did this time and it’s pleasing.

“We had a bit of luck with the goal, but we took them on and beat them hands down,” the former United captain added.

Sunderland moved above Liverpool with this victory and into seventh place. On this evidence, they could go even higher and it would be no surprise if they still head the Anfield club at the end of the season.

That is the measure of the progress they have made this season thanks to Bruce’s shrewd transfer activity.

SUNDERLAND, England (AFP)

Tags: CHELSEA, city rivals, Darren Bent, decisive goal, England, everton, fan, Fernando Torres, five games, fortnight, game state, internationals, laws of the game, Liverpool, liverpool team, Manchester, manchester united, notoriety, pepe reina, premier league, rafael benitez, Reina, spectator, Steve Bruce, Steven Gerrard, Sunderland, technical question, top scorer, youtube

Crucial week for Reds starts with Black Cats test

October 17, 2009

Liverpool begin a critical week at Sunderland on Saturday knowing that they must return to winning ways ahead of important back-to-back matches at Anfield.

Having watched his side lose their last Premier League fixture at Chelsea, manager Rafael Benitez knows his players cannot afford any mistakes at the Stadium of Light if they are to remain in the hunt for the title.

Liverpool already find themselves six points adrift of the summit after losing three of their opening eight league games, and entertain reigning champions Manchester United next weekend.

Sandwiched between Sunderland and United is a Champions League home match against Lyon on Tuesday, a game Benitez’s side cannot afford to lose after being beaten by Fiorentina in their last European outing.

It is an important period of games for Benitez and the Liverpool manager will have to do without skipper Steven Gerrard for at least the first of those three matches.

The influential midfielder was forced to withdraw from the England squad for Wednesday’s match with Belarus due to an adductor problem.

Also out is Spanish striker Fernando Torres who picked up a groin injury while away with his country.

Greece international defender Sotiris Kyrgiakos, who would have been on the substitutes bench, is facing six months out after suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury during his country’s World Cup qualifier with Luxembourg in midweek.

With Lucas, Javier Mascherano and Emiliano Insua not due back from their World Cup qualifiers in South America until Friday afternoon, Fabio Aurelio could start on Wearside.

The Brazilian defender, a substitute against Chelsea, is determined to banish his injury frustrations and earn himself a new contract at the club.

Having joined Liverpool in July 2006 from Valencia, Aurelio is free to start talking to other clubs in the New Year as his present deal expires next summer.

But he is not looking to move and is anxious to prove to Benitez that he is worth another contract.

“I feel very comfortable and my family is very settled here, but I know that it all depends on what the manager and the club thinks about me,” he said.

“We had started talking before the end of last season but then I picked up the injury in the summer and since then there has not been any more contact.

“I just want to play at the minute before I think about anything else and we will see how everything goes from there.”

Although Sunderland appear on paper to be the easiest of Liverpool’s next three tests, Steve Bruce’s team are not to be underestimated.

Denied victory by an injury-time equaliser in their last game at Manchester United, Sunderland will look to continue their improved form against the Premier League’s ‘big four’ as they bid to end a near seven-year wait for a home victory over Liverpool.

After only escaping relegation on the final day of last season, Sunderland currently occupy eighth place, with their upward mobility largely down to the 30 million pounds spent by Bruce over the summer.

Kenwyne Jones is expected to resume his blossoming partnership with seven-goal top scorer Darren Bent after Bruce insisted the Trinidad and Tobago forward catch an earlier-than-planned flight back from international duty in the Caribbean to allow for extra recovery time.

England Under-21 midfielder Lee Cattermole is making good progress after suffering a heel problem and should start.

George McCartney is likely to miss out with a foot injury, so with Kieran Richardson serving a one-match suspension and John Mensah troubled by a thigh strain, Paraguay skipper Paulo da Silva is ready to fill in at left-back.

Former Liverpool midfielder Bolo Zenden, 33, is set to earn a short-term Sunderland contract after a successful trial, but not in time to figure on Saturday.

SUNDERLAND, England (AFP)