Steve Bruce in warning to Sunderland players

Nov 23 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

STEVE Bruce has warned his jubilant Sunderland players they will be kicked off the team bus if they follow their excellent 1-0 win over Arsenal with a defeat at beleaguered Wigan next weekend.

The Black Cats made it seven points from four games against the Premier League’s Big Four with their forceful victory over the Gunners on Saturday, but they have followed previous good results with defeats at Burnley, Stoke and Birmingham.

That ensures Bruce is guarded against complacency against his former club, deflated after yesterday’s 9-1 thumping at Spurs, as he revealed his first words in the dressing room after the Arsenal game had not been congratulatory ones.

He said: “I have just said to them if we do not perform at Wigan I will kick all their a***s and they can walk home.

“But we are going into December and I can only think of Burnley in the second half and Birmingham when we have not played well, so two out of 13 suggests we are starting to get some consistency.

“The most important thing is our performances at home. Last year, it was a big big struggle. Last year, we only won six here. We have nearly done that already. It will take time, three, four six months, maybe a couple of years, but I am delighted when I see the crowd today, 45,000 is fantastic. Am I ahead of schedule? Well I would have taken it at the start of the season.”

And, despite warning his players he does not expect them to make the same mistakes against Wigan which have undermined them this season, Bruce also hopes they receive the credit they deserve for their win.

He said: “Always in my experience, it seems to be always how badly Arsenal have played. But you have still to go out there and play yourselves and today, we have done that.

“I think the first goal was going to be vital but for me, Arsenal are a fantastic club. They have great players and they will be there or thereabouts in the title race, I am convinced about that.”