Bruce to turn to wonder boy Wickham

The teenage prospect has had to bide his time since his £8.1m move from Ipswich Town in the summer, with the man who bought him choosing to use him sparingly so far.

Wickham's only appearances have come as a substitute - including in the Carling Cup when Sunderland lost to Brighton - and he has asked Bruce what he needs to do to earn a chance from the start.

After a frustrating start to the season which has left the Black Cats on the verge of dropping in to the relegation zone, the 18-year-old is in line to be given his chance at the Reebok Stadium today.

Bruce, who has defender Phil Bardsley available again after suspension, said: "Connor has knocked on the door, asking what he has to do to get a chance. He has not exactly said ‘play me' but asked what he has to do to get in.

"He will be disappointed (not to have started) and is itching for his chance. I was also convinced in his own mind that he was ready. He is ready to go on and play at this level and be ready for the demands this club expects."

It seemed strange for Bruce to regularly overlook a big money buy throughout Sunderland's poor start to the campaign, particularly given the lack of potency in front of goal.

But the manager has explained his reasons, suggesting the England Under-21 international has had to be treated carefully because of his inexperience at the highest level.

"Moving from Ipswich, where he was born and bred, to come up to the North-East, coming to live on his own (at times) away from his mam and dad (sometimes) is hard. He is just an 18-year-old lad," said Bruce.

"When you look at the size of him you think "bloody hell, he's a big strong boy" but he is still a boy, a boy. He has a few of the trappings already but is a hugely talented lad who just needed time to get used to us and what it is really like here."

However long it takes Bruce thinks that in Wickham and Ji Dong-Won, the 20-year-old South Korean also signed in the summer, Sunderland have two stars of the future.

Bruce said: "I saw Connor twice playing against Arsenal and he has got all the physical attributes, he has got everything in the locker, but as I have said all along, he is young and I have had to protect him a little bit. I have not strayed from that.

"We paid £8m for an 18-year-old and it could be 18 months or even two years before he really flourishes. Looking at the difference between Nicklas Bendtner when he was 18 and where he is now at 23, it's huge It is a big time for Connor."

Wickham was one of ten permanent signings in the summer that changed the face of the Sunderland squad and Bruce was confident of finishing in the top ten.

After just one win from their opening eight Premier League games, such a target might seem ambitious. Bruce, however, says his targets are still the same.

"Would you believe, we only won one of our first eight games (it was nine in total) last year although we were three points better off because we drew three more times but couldn't win," he said.

"It has not altered my ambitions. We will have to go on a run, which we are capable of. If you look at our fixtures for the next three months or so, until the back end of Christmas, they are all games you want, first time up, if you like. All the teams around us, except for Man United of course, so it is up to us."

Sunderland, who can call on Bendtner again today after he missed the trip to Arsenal under the rules of the loan system, might have lost at the Emirates last weekend, but the performance encouraged Bruce.

He said: "I am still convinced we can make a tilt. We are only three or so points away from being where we want to be, that is in the top half."

He added: "I would be lying if I said I did not look at the league table. Arsenal were just above us last week, beat us and went up to tenth.

"We are a win away from being in mid-table. We have a good record at Bolton, have a great support (4,000 travelling fans) going so let's hope we can turn the season around."