Meyler out for six months

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce’s delight at his side’s second away win of the season was tempered by midfielder David Meyler suffering another serious knee setback last night.

He will now be sidelined for “at least” six months with a damaged cruciate ligament – and Bruce blames himself.

He said: “Meyler looks as if he has ruptured his cruciate knee ligaments which is the same one as before. We are devastated.

“We are pleased with the result but devastated when you see a young kid like that who is such a great boy, all he wants to do is play football. All he wanted to do was get fit.

“He was magnificent on Saturday against Blackburn and I’m kicking myself now because I’ve played him. Whether it is because he was tired, I don’t know.

“Basically we didn’t have anyone else.

“Always in the back of your mind is that he played his first 90 minutes then and I asked him to play again two or three days later when he has been out for eight months.

“I’m kicking myself now but I had no-one else to choose who would have made the impact Meyler would have made, like he did on Saturday versus Blackburn.”

On loan Manchester United striker Danny Wellbeck also sustained a hamstring injury.