Two out of three for Sunderland (From The Northern Echo)

Two out of three for Sunderland

8:00am Wednesday 1st February 2012 in Sunderland AFC News By Paul Fraser, Chief Football Writer

MARTIN O'NEILL pulled off a defensive double on deadline day but was forced to admit defeat in his pursuit of a short-term striker for Sunderland last night.

After sealing loan deals until the end of the season for Wayne Bridge and Sotirios Kyrgiakos, O'Neill had hoped to secure the signature of one more player.

But despite considering deals for West Ham's Frederic Piquionne, Tottenham's Roman Pavyluchenko and Aston Villa's Emile Heskey, the Sunderland boss decided against doing something for the sake of it.

His hopes of persuading Kevin Davies to uproot to Wearside deteriorated during the day when it emerged he is likely to leave for nothing in the summer at the end of his contract.

And, despite considering alternatives, O'Neill eventually decided that pinning his faith in the strikers he already has at his disposal was his best option, particularly following the return to fitness of Fraizer Campbell.

The Sunderland manager, whose side face Norwich City tonight, will continue to look at free agents. He has already considered Bosnian Zlatan Muslimovic in the last fortnight, but yesterday he had to make do with the two players he did recruit.

The acquisition of Bridge from Manchester City will provide Sunderland with a recognised left-back for the first time in months.

The 31-year-old's arrival until the end of the season will also provide O'Neill with the option of playing Kieran Richardson in midfield, particularly with Lee Cattermole and David Vaughan facing more than a month on the sidelines with respective hamstring and ankle problems.

Bridge, who had been close to joining Reading, trained with the Sunderland squad yesterday morning before the loan agreement with Manchester City was confirmed just after lunch-time.

It is understood City will be paying more than 60 per cent of the former England international's reputed £90,000-a-week wage.

Bridge, who has 36 caps for England, said: "I'm delighted to make the move. I have met the manager and the lads and everyone seems great.

"I'm just excited to start playing football and playing a few games. The club is on the up.

"Just coming in and speaking to him, everything has been positive. I have trained with the lads and they are a great bunch who are feeling really positive. Hopefully I can help the club progress even more."

O'Neill was keen to add experience to a pretty youthful squad and feels Bridge, who has also played for Southampton, Chelsea, Fulham and West Ham, does that.

And with Wes Brown (knee) joining Titus Bramble (Achilles) and Matt Kilgallon (ankle) in the treatment room, he decided to add Greek centre-back Kyrgiakos from Wolfsburg.

The 32-year-old former Liverpool defender, who only left Anfield in the summer of last year, had an inconsistent time playing for the Reds. O'Neill, though, thinks the Greece international adds something different.

He said: "Sotirios offers a real physical presence, coupled with a wealth of experience, which will be an undoubted benefit to us in the next few months. I'm delighted to welcome him to the club and I'm sure he is looking forward to the challenge of returning to the Premier League."

Sunderland face Norwich at the Stadium of Light tonight and Bridge could slot straight in for his debut.

When the Canaries travel to the North-East, their manager Paul Lambert will take on his old Celtic boss, who played a part in getting Lambert on to the managerial ladder with Wycombe Wanderers.

"I said to the owner of Wycombe I thought he might be worth a little look and he did very well indeed there," said O'Neill, a former Norwich player himself.

"What he has done at Norwich has been remarkable. Paul has taken that route and it has worked out for him."