SUNDERLAND face an anxious wait to see if they can prise defender Richard Dunne away from Manchester City.

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will return to his desk to find himself thrust into a whirlwind of transfer speculation.

NIALL QUINN has admitted he would have blamed himself had his big Sunderland gamble not paid off.

Steve Bruce was this afternoon confirmed as Sunderland’s new manager after lengthy negotiations finally came to a successful conclusion.

Sunderland hope to finally complete negotiations to make Steve Bruce their new manager today.

Sunderland have moved a step closer to appointing Steve Bruce as their next manager after a compensation package was agreed with Wigan.

Sunderland are not lining up former Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini as their new manager, according to the Italian’s agent.

Roberto Mancini claims he has been offered the chance to manage Sunderland.

Wigan chairman David Whelan revealed today he wants £3m compensation from Sunderland for manager Steve Bruce.

Roberto Mancini is flattered to be linked with the managerial vacancy at Sunderland and admits he would like to manage in the Premier League.

SUNDERLAND are playing a waiting game in their search for a new manager.

Sunderland are playing a waiting game in their search for a new manager.

SUNDERLAND’S interest in appointing Steve Bruce as their new manager receded as Ellis Short’s buy-out was confirmed yesterday.

It is understood that Wigan boss Steve Bruce has been given permission to talk to Sunderland about their managerial vacancy.

SUNDERLAND’S new manager will face the task of clearing the decks before he presses ahead with his own plans for rebuilding the squad.

Departing Sunderland boss Ricky Sbragia admits he would probably not have taken the job in the first place if it had not been Niall Quinn offering it.

OUR football correspondent LIAM MACKEY is back in top form and full of energy.

NIALL QUINN will look for a born winner – with no frills – when he starts the search for Sunderland’s new manager in earnest.

AS celebrations go it was hardly a case of popping the champagne corks, but then that just isn’t Ricky Sbragia’s style.

SUNDERLAND boss Ricky Sbragia is confident the Black Cats will be playing Premier League football next season.

Sunderland midfielder Steed Malbranque is a doubt for the final day clash with Chelsea.

MIDDLESBROUGH chief executive Keith Lamb has dismissed claims the club could sue Manchester United if they field a weakened team at Hull on Sunday.

Middlesbrough chief executive Keith Lamb has dismissed claims the club could sue Manchester United if they field a weakened team at Hull on Sunday.

England manager Fabio Capello faces a goalkeeping shortage ahead of next month’s World Cup qualifiers after David James elected to undergo shoulder surgery.

SUNDERLAND manager Ricky Sbragia was again left to rue sloppy defending after his team slumped to a 3-1 defeat at Portsmouth which keeps them in the relegation mire.

Sunderland boss Ricky Sbragia has urged strikers Kenwyne Jones and Djibril Cisse to adapt to shake off the shackles placed on them by opposition teams.

NIALL QUINN might have no inclination to return to management, having notched five defeats in six matches in his spell as caretaker back in 2006, but the Sunderland chairman clearly hasn’t lost all his powers of dressing room persuasion.

Bolton 0 Sunderland 0

FOR Roy Keane the last straw was when Niall Quinn asked him to put a smile on the faces of his Sunderland players.

Sunderland 0 Everton 2

Sunderland boss Ricky Sbragia has hit back at the perceived recent slights of his predecessor Roy Keane by advising the Corkman to focus on his own job at Ipswich.

A three-goal hammering at the hands of the Premier League’s bottom club would be galling enough at the best of times for Sunderland.

Sunderland's Kieran Richardson is pushing for a recall for the Barclays Premier League trip to West Brom after overcoming a calf injury.

ROY KEANE’S successor as Sunderland manager predicts the former Black Cats boss will do “extremely well” at Ipswich but remains to be convinced if the Ireland legend has learned any lessons from past mistakes.

ANDY REID is not known as the volcanic type.

Sunderland 1 Hull 0

SUNDERLAND chairman Niall Quinn has thrown his support behind manager Ricky Sbragia and dismissed rumours he is planning to replace him in the near future.

Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has thrown his support behind manager Ricky Sbragia and dismissed rumours he is planning to replace him in the near future.

YOU always remember the first time, which is why Federico Macheda’s extraordinary debut goal against Aston Villa will be recalled for years among Manchester United supporters.

Dimitar Berbatov returned to the Manchester United starting line-up at Sunderland as Cristiano Ronaldo was left sitting on the bench.