Injury crisis worries Bruce

Steve Bruce takes his in-form Sunderland side into battle against lowly Wolves on Saturday bemoaning a sudden injury crisis that has him worried.

Central-defenders Michael Turner and Titus Bramble are out for the rest of 2010 after suffering series knee injuries and Bruce admits that the loss of two such players could seriously undermine Sunderland’s season.

“We’ve seen that even some of the big clubs have struggled this season when they’ve lost a couple of big players – and Michael and Titus certainly come into that category for us,” Bruce said.

“Liverpool were without a couple of important players earlier in the season and struggled badly and there are those who say that Chelsea weren’t the same team without John Terry, Frank Lampard and Michael Essien.”

“It doesn’t matter how good a club you are, you miss your big players and those two are big players for us.”

Last season Sunderland struggled for clean sheets and it was a key part of Bruce’s summer transfer strategy to reinforce the centre of his defence.

His rebuilding work has paid dividends too with Sunderland keeping six clean sheets this season – more than any other club except for Chelsea and Manchester City.

But the loss of Turner and Bramble is causing Bruce sleepless nights.

“We hope to have John Mensah back this weekend but it is asking a lot of a player who dislocated a shoulder just a few week,” Bruce said.

“Other than that, we’re struggling for numbers in central defence and that’s a concern because we’ve done so well this season after a really tough start against so many top teams and just as we thought we might be coming up to a run where we had plenty of winnable games, we’ve suddenly had a massive setback.”

“In the space of the last six months we’ve lost two of our best young players – Fraizer Campbell and David Meyler to cruciate ligament injuries and now in the space of virtually 48 hours, we’ve lost our two first choice centre-halves to long-term injuries.”

Bruce should welcome back record signing Asamoah Gyan after the striker recovered from a thigh strain.

And that will give him a selection poser with Darren Bent and in-form teenager striker Danny Welbeck all contesting places in the starting line up.

Sunderland have lost only one of their last 12 games and despite having a dreadful away record over the last couple of seasons, their last match on away soil was that famous 3-0 victory over Chelsea.

“We’ve been in great form recently – apart from one obvious result – and the challenge for us is to continue that form,” Bruce said.

“It’s no secret that Wolves have been struggling and it is up to us to continue their discomfort.”

“Our last game against them was the last game of last season and it is one I want to forget.”

“We lost the game, lost out on a chance of finishing 10th and also lost two men – Michael Turner and Jack Colback both being sent off.”

“It was a bad way to end the season and it left a bitter taste in my mouth but hopefully we can put that behind us by going there and getting a good result.”

“We’ve lost a couple of important players to injury this week but we have a good squad and their absence is someone else’s opportunity.”