MICHAEL BRIDGES will be staying at Sunderland next season after proving his fitness, despite hardly having the chance to shine.

The striker was been plagued by a series of Achilles and knee injuries during his time at Leeds United, with both Bolton and Newcastle United opting against keeping the player.

But Bridges was offered an escape route to first employers Sunderland in September and he has signed a permanent deal that keeps him at the Stadium of Light for another season.

The 26-year-old's track record meant that the Black Cats brokered a deal that would have allowed them to release the forward at the end of the campaign.

However, having proved his fitness for at least half of Sunderland's games since his switch, Bridges has now secured a 12-month extension.

That means the man from North Shields will be staying on Wearside regardless of whether or not a return to the Premiership is achieved - even though he has made just three league starts so far.

Fourteen of his appearances have come from the bench and manager Mick McCarthy is hopeful that having his future panned out will benefit Bridges' performances.

"There's more to come from Michael. Perhaps for him to know he has got that one more year will give him the extra security," said McCarthy, who always maintained that Marcus Stewart and Stephen Elliott are his first choice strikers this season.

"Hopefully it will give Michael the extra confidence and we will all benefit. He has shown over the past five months or so that he has got fitter and apart from little niggles he's had no problems. That's good for us all."

Bridges is likely to be among the substitutes again when Cardiff City arrive in the North-East tomorrow, but he will not be joined by either Mark Lynch or Andy Welsh.

Winger Welsh has been told he will be asked to fill the void left by Julio Arca on the left of midfield after the Argentinian failed to recover from a hip injury sustained in the win over Rotherham.

Lynch will be given another chance to impress at right-back with first-choice Stephen Wright ruled out through suspension, along with Tuesday night's goal hero Sean Thornton.

Lynch, a summer signing from Manchester United, has not started a game since the win at Leicester on November 13 and has had to settle for two last minute substitute roles since, the last of which ironically was at Cardiff in December.

McCarthy has felt for the defender and said: "Lynch has been unlucky because he has played well when he has had a chance.

"The Leicester game was his best game and for me to take him aside and tell him he wasn't playing wasn't nice.

"But his attitude has been terrific. You don't see a different level from him in training because he hasn't been playing. He has handled it very well.

"He is disappointed because I have spoken to him. He wanted to come here and play when he signed."

Midfielder Dean Whitehead is also a doubt with toe injury but should be fit, although Liam Lawrence is standing by to make a return.

Arca, meanwhile, should be fit for the trip to Burnley a week today.

* Sunderland are continuing to monitor the progress of American trialist Stuart Holden. He has been training with the club for the past six weeks and has been 'doing well', says McCarthy.

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