Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has told Anton Ferdinand to wait for another chance to impress. The £8million man has found himself surplus to requirements in recent weeks with Paulo da Silva and John Mensah lining up in central defence for the 1-0 win over Arsenal and Michael Turner returning from suspension to partner Da Silva at Wigan on Saturday.

Bruce said: "He has every right not to be happy because he is not in the team at the moment due to the form of Mensah and Da Silva, who have played exceptionally well, and Michael Turner is available too.

"But that competition for places has got to be there when you play at a big club like this. I wouldn't expect him to be happy, it's normal.

"He is not in the team, so he is not going to be. But he has just got to get on with it and wait for his chance to come again - which it will - and then make it very, very difficult for me to leave him out."