Mensah gives Bruce selection headache
Sunderland defender John Mensah will be fit enough to face Wigan on Saturday – and Steve Bruce admits that gives him a selection dilemma.
Key centre-back Michael Turner has now served a one-match ban and would be expected to go straight back into the team.
But international captains Paulo Da Silva and Mensah helped Sunderland keep a clean sheet against Arsenal last weekend – the first time the Gunners have failed to score in the Premier League this season – staking impressive claims for their partnership to continue.
Manager Bruce told the Echo: "I've got a few decisions to make in terms of selection and it's not going to be easy,"
"There's competition for places in some areas of the team right now and not in others and I've also got to bear in mind that it's an away game and take into consideration the fact Wigan are going to want to bounce back after a heavy defeat in their last game."
On-loan Lyon man Mensah limped out of the Arsenal game in the last 10 minutes and, had it been that the Ghanaian had suffered a recurrence of his troublesome calf problems, Bruce's decision in central defence would have been simpler.
But Mensah is expected to be fully fit and available for the trip to the DW Stadium, and will only improve the more football he gets.
Bruce added: "John did really well to get through the game in the way he did after missing so many games with a succession of niggling injuries.
"He was struggling by the last 10 minutes and, because of that, we took him off.
"But he doesn't have a serious problem – it was more a case of him starting to cramp up after getting through so much work – and I certainly have a decision to make in that area.
"Paulo Da Silva was outstanding against Arsenal, but John came in and visibly improved as the game went on.
"It's not easy to keep a clean sheet against Arsenal and he was part of a team that did so.
"Hopefully he can go on a run of games and improve his fitness now.
"But I also have to think about Michael Turner, who has been terrific for us ever since he signed.
"It's something we're going to have to think about."