The Black Cats have already entered into talks with Lyon and Tottenham over loan signings John Mensah and Alan Hutton, and are busily drawing up a list of summer targets as they attempt to build upon a creditable first campaign under their new manager. Whether or not it will end with the top-half finish upon which they have set their sights remains to be seen after Sunday's 1-0 Premier League defeat by title-chasing Manchester United, but Bruce is confident progress is being made and he is determined to maintain that trend. He said: "We have made huge strides - at home especially. We have scored more goals than we have ever done before. "Unfortunately yesterday, we just lost that little bit of sparkle. "We will add that little bit of quality to it. That's what we are striving to do." After two seasons of struggling to maintain their top-flight status, Sunderland have managed that task with some comfort this time around despite a mid-season slump, and the £10million they invested in striker Darren Bent has proved more than shrewd. The 26-year-old's 25 goals, 24 of them in the league, have been a major factor in their relative success, and it is no coincidence that his side created little against United on a quiet afternoon for the former Tottenham man. He and strike partner Fraizer Campbell were well marshalled by Nemanja Vidic and Johnny Evans to the extent that keeper Edwin van der Sar had just one save of note to make, and that from Steed Malbranque's long range first-half effort. The visitors, despite knowing their title hopes had been dealt a major blow by Chelsea's win at Liverpool earlier in the day, created more than enough chances to win the game comfortably, but failed to test keeper Craig Gordon often enough. Indeed, striker Dimitar Berbatov had three glorious chances to score and failed to call the Scot into action from any of them, and it was left to Portugal international Nani to win the game with his 28th-minute strike on a day when the atmosphere was slightly subdued. Gordon said: "The Manchester United fans, with the result earlier, maybe weren't quite as vocal as they perhaps would have been had that result gone their way, which then would have ignited the atmosphere for our fans. "It never really got going at any stage. There wasn't any great fluent football played, especially from us. "We fought very hard and tried our best to get into the right areas and create chances, but it didn't really happen for us. "I had one save early on and a couple in the second half, but I certainly wasn't inundated with shots or saves to make." Bruce's afternoon was spoiled further by a suspected knee ligament injury to young midfielder David Meyler, and the loss yet again of defender Mensah before the break. The Ghana international has been plagued by fitness concerns all season and Sunderland have told parent club Lyon the terms of deal they negotiated for his permanent acquisition last summer are simply not acceptable as a result. Bruce said: "Anyone who has witnessed him play all season, he is a hell of a footballer. Unfortunately, he has just got these injury problems which mean you can't prepare the way you want to. "That causes the manager unbelievable problems. He is such a natural player, as good a defender as I have had, but he has got these problems and unfortunately, I can't get him on the pitch."
