The two men, who go head-to-head at Old Trafford on Boxing Day, share the same birthday, New Year's Eve, and the Black Cats boss is keeping his fingers crossed that Ferguson may grant him his wish after seeing loan signing Welbeck fire his side into the Premier League's top six after a 1-0 win over Bolton. Bruce, who admitted the 20-year-old's form was making it more difficult for him to clinch a deal, said: "I always knew that was going to be a problem anyway, deep down, but you never know. "Fergie has got a birthday coming up shortly and he might get generous in his old age. I somehow doubt it. "He's a fantastic talent, isn't he? You can see that and he has benefited from playing regularly. "The good thing about him is he has got an infectious enthusiasm about him. He wants to play and train and he has been terrific. "Manchester United have got a very good player on their hands." Welbeck's 32nd-minute strike was enough to claim the points on an afternoon when Sunderland kept their 10th clean sheet of the season and their ninth in the league, despite central defender John Mensah joining Titus Bramble and Michael Turner on the sidelines with an ankle injury which is like to rule him out for up to three weeks. Darren Bent controlled a deep cross beyond the far post and saw his shot parried by Jaaskelainen, but the Finn could only direct the ball across goal when Welbeck stooped to head it home. Bolton came agonisingly close to an equaliser on the stroke of half-time when Gary Cahill headed Matt Taylor's corner back across goal and Zat Knight's shot seemed destined for the back of the net until Craig Gordon somehow got it up and over his crossbar. Bruce said: "I have just seen it on the telly - does Jim Montgomery (1973 FA Cup final) come to mind? It was a terrific save. "It's certainly the save of season and it will take some beating. I thought it was behind him and to get it up and over the bar from there, it was a terrific save." Sunderland, who have not lost at home in the league this season, were in little mood to relinquish that record after the break and might have increased their lead with 20 minutes remaining when Welbeck clipped the outside of the post after being set up by Asamoah Gyan. Substitute Bolo Zenden could have wrapped up the points at the death, but headed wide, although Cahill had earlier seen a goal-bound shot blocked by Anton Ferdinand and Ivan Klasnic, a second-half replacement for Martin Petrov, volleyed wastefully wide at the death. Bruce, however, was quick to play down talk of European qualification. He said: "I will dampen down [talk of] Europe. My aim hasn't changed: I just want to make us an established Premier League team, and from what I can see, we are gathering momentum very nicely." Wanderers boss Owen Coyle was disappointed by the result, but not the performance. He said: "Even at 1-0, I still always believed we would get back into the game. "We came out in the second half and in the last 25, 30 minutes, it was like the Alamo. For a team with such a home record, they were really on the back foot and we had numerous chances to get the equaliser, but we never quite got it. "Am I disappointed? Only by the result, not the performance because we put a team which is unbeaten at home to the sword in the latter stages." Coyle and Bruce exchanged words shortly after the break after Lee Cattermole, who had earlier been booked for a foul on Stuart Holden, caught Johan Elmander late, but was spared a third red card of the season. The Bolton boss said: "Did I feel he was lucky? There's no doubt about it. I know referees have a difficult job, but it was a clear foul."
