Rafael Benitez has appointed Boudewijn Zenden as his assistant manager at Chelsea, according to the Dutchman’s father and agent.

West Ham 0 Sunderland 3

Sunderland are set to have a striker available for Sunday’s Premier League trip to West Ham after Asamoah Gyan returned to training.

Sunderland 1 Wolves 3

Mick McCarthy named an unchanged team as he attempted to ease Wolves further clear of the drop zone at former club Sunderland.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will be without an entire starting XI for tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League clash with Wolves.

STAND-IN Sunderland skipper Bolo Zenden suffered mixed emotions after leading the team to only their second victory in 12 Barclays Premier League matches on Saturday.

Bolton 1 Sunderland 2

Bolton manager Owen Coyle has made five changes against Sunderland as they looked to chalk up six successive home wins for the first time in the top flight since 1997.

Sunderland midfielder Kieran Richardson will miss the rest of the Premier League season after scans revealed a stress fracture of his left fibula.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will head into tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League clash with Fulham without a single senior striker fit.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will make late checks on a trio of players ahead of tomorrow’s vital Barclays Premier League clash with Wigan.

Steve Bruce believes he will field one of the youngest sides in Sunderland’s history at Birmingham tomorrow with injuries once again taking their toll.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will be without Fraizer Campbell and Titus Bramble for tomorrow’s vital Barclays premier League clash with West Brom.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will be boosted by the return of long-term absentees Fraizer Campbell and Michael Turner to the squad for Premier League trip to Manchester City.

Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez have both been named in the Liverpool starting line-up for this afternoon’s Premier League clash with Sunderland.

Sunderland midfielder Bolo Zenden is out of the club’s Premier League trip to Arsenal on Saturday.

Blackpool 1 Sunderland 2

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will start life without leading scorer Darren Bent at Blackpool tomorrow.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has restored his big guns to the starting line-up today as he went in search of derby revenge.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is keeping his fingers crossed over skipper Lee Cattermole and striker Danny Welbeck ahead of Sunday’s derby clash with Newcastle.

ASTON VILLA dropped into the bottom three of the Barclays Premier League for the first time in seven years as their former loan signing Phil Bardsley earned Sunderland victory at Villa Park.

Aston Villa 0 Sunderland 1

Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier and his Sunderland counterpart Steve Bruce both named unchanged sides for the Barclays Premier League clash at Villa Park.

Record signing Asamoah Gyan is a doubt for Sunderland’s Barclays Premier League trip to Aston Villa tomorrow night.

Skipper Lee Cattermole and record signing Asamoah Gyan are major doubts for Sunderland’s Barclays Premier League clash with Blackburn tomorrow.

Dimitar Berbatov and Ryan Giggs returned to the Manchester United starting line-up for this afternoon’s Premier League encounter – but Michael Owen did not even make the bench despite the striker’s claim he is now fully fit.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce faces major selection problems for the St Stephen's Day trip to Manchester United with seven senior men missing.

Sunderland’s record signing Asamoah Gyan returned to the starting line-up for this afternoon’s Barclays Premier League clash with Bolton.

The Republic of Ireland's David Meyler made his first start of the season for Sunderland in today’s Barclays Premier League clash with Fulham.

Asamoah Gyan and Craig Gordon have been declared as “slight doubts” by Sunderland manager Steve Bruce ahead of tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League match at Fulham.

Wolves 3 Sunderland 2

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has made four changes to his starting line-up for the visit of Sunderland to Molineux in the Premier League this afternoon.

Sunderland will begin a lengthy spell without defenders Titus Bramble and Michael Turner at Wolves tomorrow.

MIKEL ARTETA denied teenager Danny Welbeck’s two-goal salvo all the headlines last night as Everton snatched a late equaliser at Sunderland.

Sunderland 2 Everton 2

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce was denied a welcome selection headache when record signing Asamoah Gyan was forced to sit out tonight’s clash with Everton.

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is hoping leading scorer Darren Bent could return for Monday night’s Barclays Premier League clash with Everton.

Sunderland striker Darren Bent will miss Sunday’s trip to Chelsea in the Barclays Premier League as he continues to battle a hamstring injury.

Sunderland striker Darren Bent could be sidelined for several weeks by the hamstring injury which kept him out of Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Stoke.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will be without key defender Titus Bramble for tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League home clash with Stoke.

Newcastle boss Chris Hughton welcomed back his big guns as Sunderland counterpart Steve Bruce named an unchanged team for this afternoon’s derby clash.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has received a double boost ahead of Sunday’s derby clash with Newcastle in the Barclays Premier League.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has named an unchanged side today as he attempts to end a run of five successive Premier League draws with victory over Aston Villa.

Sunderland striker Darren Bent will be fit for tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League clash with Aston Villa.

SUNDERLAND boss Steve Bruce admitted his side cannot keep relying on Darren Bent as they drew 0-0 at Blackburn.

Blackburn 0 Sunderland 0

Blackburn v Sunderland

Sunderland striker Darren Bent is a major doubt for Monday night’s Barclays Premier League trip to Blackburn.

Bolo Zenden has warned his Sunderland team-mates they need to reproduce their heroics against the big guns when they face lesser opposition if they are to realise their ambitions.