Sunderland boss Steve Bruce hailed Titus Bramble for his performance in their victory over Manchester City.
Bruce's decision to sign former Newcastle joke figure Bramble was met with derision in some quarters earlier this summer, but the Black Cats boss has been delighted with the way his £1m capture has settled.
He said: "I hope now the people who wrote articles about him and threw a lot of rubbish at him basically are big enough to say they were wrong.
"In the three games we have played in the Premier League this season he has arguably been our best player.
"I had no qualms about bringing him back to the North-East and he has been fantastic for us.
"We have a bit of strength in depth in that area, but we do still need to bring someone in at the other end of the pitch."
