STEVE Bruce has been so impressed by Fraizer Campbell’s rapid emergence this season he is considering fielding a three-man strike force to accommodate the former England Under-21 forward.

After he snapped up the Hull City-bound striker in an initial £3.5m transfer from Manchester United in July, Bruce had intended to gradually blood the youngster into first team action.

The capture of Campbell was the first statement signing of Bruce’s reign on Wearside before it was quickly overshadowed by the arrival of £10m man Darren Bent.

Bent and Kenwyne Jones’ position as the leading goalscoring partnership in the Premier League has ensured they’ve dominated the headlines. But Campbell is developing at an even quicker rate than the club had anticipated, leading Bruce to regard his strikers as a trio rather than a first choice pair with a back-up.

Asked if he was thinking of playing all three forwards together, Bruce replied: “It’s a possibility. I’ve always got it in mind too that he (Campbell) can play on the right-hand side and he can get you goals.

“Fraizer’s done very, very well indeed and has played particularly well in a couple of games. I haven’t really had a partnership as such, however in the last two games both (Bent and Jones) scored, which highlighted that.

“Fraizer’s got a big part to play in the season. I’m convinced of that, because there will come a time when they might need freshening up or they might need a month off.

Hopefully with Fraizer we’ve got that option as well.

“He’s got a lot of maturing and a lot of growing to do but he’ll be a big player for this football club, I’m convinced of that. He’s been involved in every game we’ve played and he’s had a big impact even if he hasn’t scored the goals.

He’s given the team an injection because he’s a little different, he’s lively.”

In the meantime, Bruce attempted to explain a conundrum that has perplexed Sunderland supporters since the start of last season – why does Steed Malbranque struggle to complete the full 90 minutes of a match?

In their last two matches Sunderland fans were treated to the rare sight of the Belgium- born midfielder still being on the pitch at the final whistle. But Malbranque has completed only 16 of the 48 games he has played since joining Sunderland from Tottenham Hotspur, leading to accusations that at 29-years of age he doesn’t possess the stamina for top flight football.

Andy Reid’s intensive training regime has improved the Irishman’s condition but Bruce believes Malbranque has a different issue to overcome.

“I think he fatigues himself that quickly because he does a lot of intensive running,’’ said Bruce. “He’s not one of these who just saves himself for the end. I think it’s mainly mindset more than anything.

He ran himself to a standstill at Old Trafford.

“I think he had cramp in both legs. If you can do it at Old Trafford, you can do it anywhere.

“I thought he set the tone for us at Old Trafford. He took the ball and kept it, and showed a lot of courage with the ball. I thought his performance was magnificent.

“If you’ve lost 10 kilos or whatever Andy Reid lost, you’re going to have a bit more energy left, that’s for sure. But with Steed we haven’t done anything different.

Here on the training ground he’s fit as a lop but he does run out of juice because his energy levels in the first half are incredible.”