According to Daily Star Steve Bruce has told Nicklas Bendtner he can make Sunderland fans forget all about Asamoah Gyan.
“It really did shake him up and he told me he was lucky to get out of it. They reckon he also had a hernia because of it and needed operations.’’
Bendtner, 23, joined the Black Cats on a season-long loan from Arsenal on deadline day and now carries their main goal threat after Ghana star Gyan left for cash-rich United Arab Emirates side Al-Ain two weeks ago.
“Nick is larger than life,” said boss Bruce ahead of tomorrow night’s trip to his former club Norwich.
“He’s a really good boy who will make a big contribution here, I’m convinced of it. He wanted to come and play – he hasn’t played that much for 12 months. Before that, he was playing around 30 times a season for Arsenal. If you look at the number of Premier League starts he’s had for Arsenal and the goals he’s scored, it’s very good. In 40 starts he’s scored 22 goals. He just needs the platform to do it on – and we will certainly be able to give him that".
When asked about the potential influence of Bendtner versus Asamoah Gyan, who left Sunderland AFC on a season long loan to United Arab Emirates club Al-Ain, Bruce said:
“Bendtner or Gyan? Bendtner, who wanted to be here and Gyan, who didn’t want to be here.’’
Bendtner survived a horrific car crash two years ago and Bruce added, that the crash frightened the aboslute life out of Nicklas Bendtner:
“It really did shake him up and he told me he was lucky to get out of it. They reckon he also had a hernia because of it and needed operations.’’
If Bendtner starts for the Black Cats, when Sunderland face the yellow canaries from Norwich, it would be Bendtners third consecutive Premier League start. Bendtner hasn't had three consecutive starts since the spring of 2010 during the 2009/2010 campaign. In fact, Bendtner only had three Premier League starts for Arsenal during the 2010/2011 overall.
