HAVING been one of the many changes Steve Bruce has been forced to introduce already this season, fit-again Michael Turner thinks the sooner Sunderland have a settled team the better for the club's Premier League chances.

The Black Cats head for Bolton tomorrow and anything other than a victory could see them drop in to the relegation zone.

And while there is plenty of the season left for Sunderland to climb out of the Championship's trapdoor, Bruce accepts he should not be in charge of a team sitting in such a position at this stage.

Turner is optimistic things will turn around soon, but feels the constant tinkering - most of which has been enforced - over the last couple of years has played a crucial role in Sunderland's inconsistent form.

"I think the manager will be looking for a consistent back four and team," said Turner. "It's been difficult. The first two seasons I've been here it's always been chopping and changing.

"Injuries and suspensions you can't really help, and other issues of course, but you just have to deal with changes to the team and it hasn't helped."

Turner returned for the 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion after being asked to replace Titus Bramble, who remains suspended by the club following his arrest on suspicion of a sexual offence and possession of a Class A drug.

It was a wake up call for Turner. He had quickly been outpaced by Shane Long as the Baggies cruised to a two-goal lead, only for Sunderland to respond and claw back to earn a point.

The former Hull centre-back had not played since April when he suffered a recurrence of the knee problem he sustained when he collided with a post in the draw with Everton last November.

But he has had to quickly regain his confidence and, after looking stronger in the defeat to Arsenal last Sunday, he is looking forward to improving by the game.

Turner said: "It's been a frustrating time. I've not been involved in the first team and being home on a Saturday afternoon when the team is away is frustrating. I'm delighted to be back playing again and back amongst it.

"It will probably take me a bit of time to be back where I want to be and I need to get there quickly. It's been a new experience coming back from a long-term injury, so it is important that I play games and get better.

"Coming back in pre-season there were people ahead of me in the fitness stakes but it's good to be back and I just want to play more games.

"When new players come in you want to be part of it and play alongside them but you can't rush coming back because you don't want to risk having a set-back."

His first two outings of the season have been alongside Wes Brown at the heart of the Sunderland defence.

Brown has, himself, been up and down since his £1m switch from Manchester United, but Turner thinks the former England defender's experience is exactly what the Sunderland defence needed.

"He's bought something different to the club," said Turner. "It's great to play alongside him, he's a great leader on the pitch in his own way, and I've enjoyed the first couple of games with him. Hopefully we can strike up a good partnership and keep it going for a long time.

"He's talking alongside you all the time. He doesn't scream and shout and gives instructions to everyone. People in the stand probably don't realise how much talking goes on during the game and of course that's key to any successful team."

But with vital points at stake at the Reebok Stadium tomorrow, Turner accepts Sunderland's awful run of form, which reads one win from the first nine games this season, is simply not good enough.

"I'm sure we will go into the Bolton game with confidence from the way we've played the last two games," he said. "Obviously we haven't picked up as many points but we'll go into the game with a lot of positives and hopefully come out with a result.

"We believe we're going to turn it around sooner rather than later. We had tricky spells in the first two seasons I was here and we came through it so I'm sure we'll all stick together and put a good run together."