Team news

Injury crisis for Bruce Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is facing yet another injury crisis with four midfielders doubtful for Tuesday night's crucial Barclays Premier League clash with Bolton.

Kieran Richardson, who has started the last two games after recovering from a calf injury, has damaged his other calf muscle, while Lee Cattermole is struggling with a hamstring-related problem.

Andy Reid (hamstring) and Jordan Henderson (ankle) are close to returning from lengthy lay-offs, but the game could come too soon, while David Meyler completes his three-match ban.

However, Steed Malbranque will be involved after returning to the squad following a breach of club discipline.

Under-pressure boss Steve Bruce is determined to provide owner Ellis Short with a return on his investment.

The Texan businessman will sit in the stands at the Stadium of Light as the club he is currently bankrolling attempts to secure a first league win in 15 attempts.

Chairman Niall Quinn last week revealed that Short had converted #48million in loans into shares and provided the funds to recruit the likes of Darren Bent, Lee Cattermole, Lorik Cana and Michael Turner last summer.

But as he takes his seat tomorrow night, he will do so with his club sitting just three points clear of the relegation zone and in severe danger of being sucked into the mire if they do not end a sequence of Premier League games without victory which dates back to November 21.

Bruce said: "What the owner has done in the last 12 months is nothing short of incredible. It's fantastic support. We all in football want an owner and a chairman like I have got, and it's not been easy for any of us.

"But when you are in it and you are in a bad run, that's when you need the support of your owner and your chairman and I have to say, the pair of them have been fantastic. I have to give them something, and especially the owner. What he has done for this club in the short period of time he has been here is fantastic." Bolton midfielder Mark Davies could make his return from injury in time for the trip.

Davies has been nursing an ankle problem which has kept him out of Wanderers' last three matches.

Tamir Cohen is suspended after he was sent off against West Ham on Saturday and Gary Cahill is not expected back in full training for another week as he continues his recovery following the discovery of a blood clot in his arm.

Stuart Holden (fractured fibula), Gavin McCann (ankle), Chris Basham, Joey O-Brien and Sean Davis (all knee) are also still sidelined.

Owen Coyle insists nobody at Bolton is getting carried away despite the team recording back-to-back victories in their last two games.

Wanderers moved themselves five points clear of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone at the weekend with a 2-1 win at West Ham, their first away victory since September.

Having also beaten Wolves 1-0 at the Reebok Stadium seven days earlier, Bolton's position suddenly looks far healthier as they prepare for the trip.

However, the battle to avoid the drop remains tight, and with 10 games to go, Coyle is not about to let any of his players get complacent about their survival prospects.

"It's always nice to win matches, but there is certainly no leaping about," Coyle said. "We've won two games back-to-back and it's given us six valuable points, but that's all it is.

Sunderland vs Bolton

Last modified 22:39 09/03/10

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Steve Bruce endured 108 days without a win, but Darren Bent’s sensational hat-trick put Sunderland out of their misery last night.

Note to Fabio Capello: Bar Wayne Rooney, no English striker has a better scoring record this season than Bent, who was overlooked for the Egypt friendly clash last week.

In the space of a fortnight Sunderland were transformed from clueless to clever, disjointed to devastating, from out of form to outstanding last night.

Gone was the long ball drudgery of the draw against Fulham, replaced by free-flowing, slick passing and crisp finishing, notably from Bent who took his tally for the season to 19 - 18 in the Premier League with his third career treble.

A strike from Fraizer Campbell after just 40 seconds, the fastest goal of the season, settled the nerves, then it was the Bent show capping a fine all-round team performance.

He grabbed three goals in the final 25 minutes, the second a penalty he earned himself that resulted in Bolton defender Sam Ricketts being sent off, easing the Wearsiders' relegation worries.

This was the Sunderland form that saw off Arsenal back on November 21, the last time they tasted victory in the Premier League.

No wonder chairman Niall Quinn and owner Ellis Short, sitting together in the directors’ box, looked relieved. They will meet Bruce today for talks on the club’s future plans.

Bruce said: “It has been a long, long time. A victory, a resounding one, but we needed it. With ten to play hopefully we can push on. My main emotion is relief. It has been tough. I am pleased for everyone here. It was the manner of it. Benty could have had five. Towards the end we could have had six or eight.

“For Bent to get 19 goals, the same as someone like Drogba, is a fantastic return playing for a club in the bottom half. He must still be in with a shout for the World Cup.

“It takes the pressure off. It was nice to have my name sung. The fans have been a different class. I am pleased for them. They spend their hard earned money on us.”

After an entire winter without a win, a situation Bruce labelled “crazy", there were Spring like shoots of recovery in every department of his side last night.

The mood was set from the kick off when a side that spent the previous goalless draw with Fulham lumping it forward in the air, pinged it around crisply on the grass, and immediately fashioned a chance that Campbell converted.

Lorik Cana juggled the ball skilfully and hooked to the back post with Bolton’s defence flat-footed. Campbell finished crisply past Jussi Jaaskelainen. It was his first league goal for the club, and his third of the season, and immediately lifted the atmosphere at the Stadium of Light.

Bent eventually made the game safe after 63 minutes. Steed Malbranque, who put in a good shift following his £80,000 fine for being caught in a club and breaking a curfew, found Lee Cattermole who continued the flowing move by sending Bent in on goal. He cut inside his Zat Knight and curled home.

Bent then broke clear in the box and was tripped by Ricketts who collected his second yellow card. Bent stepped up to convert the penalty.

Two minutes from time Bent exchanged passes with Campbell, who pulled back precisely to find the striker free in the box, and he lashed home first time.

Bolton boss Owen Coyle said: “I think the score flattered them. Everything went against us. We were a bit dejected down to ten men with the goals flying in. We are still right in the middle of that battle at the bottom. When you think it is going well, it turns and that is football.

“It wasn’t a penalty. Contact was outside the box. The fourth goal was offside, they had a man standing in front of Jussi. And Cana should have been in the stand for a terrible tackle on Weiss, at knee height. I will speak to the referee.

“It is very tight at the bottom. It is a massive game for us at home to Wigan at the weekend.”