SUNDERLAND'S newest star player, Stanislav Varga, is in hospital recovering from an operation on a freak leg injury which could keep him out of action for six weeks.

The giant skipper of the Slovakian national side was forced to limp off the field after 48 minutes during the 4-2 defeat at Manchester City in midweek after taking a severe kick on the outside of his shin.

There was internal bleeding which immediately ruled him out of today's tough away game against Ipswich Town, and Sunderland manager Peter Reid said: "This is a real blow for us because Stan has been outstanding in pre-season and in first-team games and he has been really unlucky to pick up this injury.

"It is a muscle tear, but it has been complicated by internal bleeding and there was no other option but to operate."

Reid added: "He insisted on going out for the second half against Manchester City despite the injury and that's typical of the sort of player he is.

"I think he's going to be a good signing for this club, but there is nothing we can do about this injury except to make sure he gets the best possible treatment."

Varga, a bargain £650,000 close-season buy from Slovan Bratislava, was outstanding in last week's 1-0 home win over Arsenal and again performed very well before being forced to come off at Maine Road.

Sunderland coach Bobby Saxton is also very disappointed to have to have lost the services of a key player in defence.

"While he has been with us he has given us a new dimension in every aspect of defending and attacking.

"His stature gave confidence to everyone around him and his presence was there for all to see.

"He looked outstanding in his two games and it is a massive blow to lose him."

Saxton admits that the overall standard of defending at Maine Road, where Sunderland managed to claw their way back to 2-2 only to lose another two goals as record £3.65m signing Paulo Wanchope completed his hat-trick, was not up to scratch.

"It will be a tough game at Ipswich and if we defend like the way we did the other night it will be even tougher.

"It was down to individuals - that's why we conceded goals."

He added: "Since we got back in training our defending was mentioned for obvious reasons, and if I was a player I would expect words to be said.

"We certainly cannot afford to carry on in that mode.

"Last season we had a bad run because there was some bad defending. But there are 36 games to go and we are in a position to rectify matters."

The obvious replacement for Varga seems to be skipper Steve Bould, who came on as substitute at Maine Road for his first taste of first- team football since recovering from a foot operation.

But he is badly short of match practice and central defender Jody Craddock has also been called up into the squad, giving manager Peter Reid another option.

But goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, who injured his knee in the home win over Arsenal, has still not recovered and Austrian Jurgen Macho will continue to deputise at Ipswich.

Sunderland will also welcome their £3.5m Argentinian signing, Julio Arca, to their dressing room at Portman Road, but the 19-year-old full back is unlikely to be considered for his debut.

Arca has sorted out his passport problems, having established his Italian ancestry, and was due to arrive in London early today before linking up with his new teammates.

Saxton said: "The lad is not due to arrive in London until 4 o'clock in the morning and he will be taken to our hotel to meet the lads.

"For me it is asking too much to throw him straight into the team.

"We will ask him how he feels but I think it is highly unlikely that he will play."

Ipswich began their return to the Premiership with a 3-1 defeat at Tottenham, but bounced back to hold champions Manchester United to a 1-1 draw at Portman Road in midweek.

l RISING star Titus Bramble admits he has been ''star-struck'' by life in the Premiership.

But no one has noticed as the teenage Ipswich defender gave assured performances against Sergei Rebrov, Steffen Iversen, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Dwight Yorke.

Howard Wilkinson was sufficiently impressed to call Bramble into his England Under-21 squad for next week's game against Georgia.

And the next challenge for the 19-year-old comes against Sunderland's goal specialists Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn as Peter Reid's team visit Portman Road.

Bramble said: ''I was star-struck at the start but once we got playing I just treated it as another game. I knew I had to concentrate.

''It's like a dream. Since I was young I watched Premiership football and I'm playing in it now at the age of 19.''

Bramble's first Premiership test came at White Hart Lane against a team led by his boyhood hero Sol Campbell.

Three days later, the teenager was pitting his wits against Manchester United's superstars but he wasn't afraid to hit Roy Keane with a thunderous tackle which left the Irishman in a heap on the floor.

Bramble said: ''Tackling is my main attribute. I've got strength and power.

''I like to get a tackle in early on and let people know I'm around. I tried to do that against Keane and it might have worked.''

George Burley has likened the youngster to Kevin Beattie, a tough-tackling Ipswich stalwart from their 1970's heyday whose career was cut short by injury