Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is fast becoming the bookie's favourite for the first manager to be fired this season, after becoming a target for fans in the North of England.

Steve Bruce has overseen one of the worst Premier League campaigns for Sunderland, as they lie perilously close to the drop zone - they are just two points ahead of 18th placed Bolton Wanderers, the last place for relegation into the Championship. Sunderland have been in the Premier League since Roy Keane brought them back from the Championship back in 2008.

Steve Bruce has criticised the Premier league schedule as being ridiculous. Nedum Onuoha, Danny Welbeck and Asamoah Gyan were all injured in the Black Cats' 2-0 home defeat by Blackpool.

Bruce says it is "nonsense" that his players should face five games in eight days and he now wants a winter break.

"Every country in Europe does it," he said. "We should be taking a break too, there should be a break here."

Bruce's sentiments were echoed on Tuesday by West Ham manager Avram Grant following his side's 1-1 draw against Everton.

Steve Bruce has said that he is happy with Sunderland's draw with Fulham. Bruce took on his former Manchester United team-mate Mark Hughes, but neither boss could mastermind a win amid a dire stalemate of few chances.

The Black Cats, who have won just once away from home this season, move up to sixth in the Premier League with the point and Bruce is embracing the positives.

"I think you're always delighted to pick up a point away from home and I couldn't fault the effort and determination, considering the changes we had to make defensively," he told Sky Sports.

SUNDERLAND are today said to be preparing a £9m double summer swoop on manager Steve Bruce's old club Wigan.

The former Manchester United player is a long-standing admirer of the Latics' Honduras defender Maynor Figueroa, and tried to sign him in the January transfer window.

And, according to today's Daily Mirror, he is also keen to bring goalkeeper Chris Kirkland to the Stadium of Light, to compete with Craig Gordon for the No 1 shirt.