Bruce fears he asked too much of Meyler

SUNDERLAND manager Steve Bruce admits he fears he may have asked too much of David Meyler after the Irish midfielder’s season was ended as he suffered a second cruciate ligament injury.

“We’re devastated. When you see a young lad like that suffer another serious injury, it’s terrible,” said the Black Cats boss.

“I ask myself if I asked too much of him and I hope not,” Bruce said, as the Cork man had seen plenty of action during the Christmas schedule.

Bruce had singled out Meyler for special praise in recent weeks, hailing the 21-year-old’s contribution as he looked to make a full recovery from a serious cruciate ligament injury and returned to first-team action in little more than six months.

But last night he was left wondering whether he asked too much of the player in returning him to the side so soon and playing him in so many games over the festive season.

Bruce admitted: “Yes, it’s a great victory (on Wednesday night against Aston Villa) but it has come at a price.

“The aftermath is our problem now, with the extra injuries we’ve picked up, to Danny Welbeck and, of course to David Meyler.

“Meyler looks as though he has ruptured his cruciate knee ligaments and will be out for six months at least.

“It’s the same knee, the right knee that he damaged last time, and I’m left asking myself should I not have played him?

“I’m kicking myself now, but with Lee (Cattermole) unavailable, I didn’t really have a choice. Well, I did, but I didn’t really have anyone who could make the kind of impact that David can. He did that on Saturday against Blackburn, and that’s why I played him. But I ask myself if I asked too much of him and I hope not.”

Meyler has been dogged by misfortune since first suffering cruciate ligament damage last May. Meyler suffered the initial injury against Manchester United at the back end of last season, just as he looked set for senior international recognition with Giovanni Trapattoni’s Republic of Ireland.

At the time Bruce feared Meyler could be out of action for 12 months. However following surgery the 21-year-old midfielder recovered quickly and he made a return to reserve action last November, then making a first-team return on December 11 last against Fulham, playing 52 minutes.

Meyler’s rehabilitation appeared to be going to plan until Wednesday night’s serious setback.

Bruce feels though that the real culprit of Sunderland’s injury problems — they suffered a similar injury crisis at this stage last season — is the Premier League’s gruelling Christmas schedule.

“We’ve pushing 10 players missing now and it points to the schedule being ridiculous,” said Bruce.

“Danny Welbeck’s hamstring going in the 85th minute is down to one thing only — fatigue. And asking players to play five Premier League games in 13 days has cost us. It cost us Lee Cattermole for a month and now Welbeck and Meyler.”

Meyler himself remains upbeat, vowing to return.

He tweeted his thanks yesterday for the messages of support he has received: “Thanks to everyone for the text messages, comments, tweets and the 97 inbox messages I’ve had its really appreciated honestly there the little things that keep me going thank you!”

Just hours after getting injured he declared: “Thanks to everyone for all the nice messages, I’ll be back don’t you worry!!”