Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has challenged Stephane Sessegnon to become the new Didier Drogba.
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has challenged Stephane Sessegnon to become the new Didier Drogba.
Bruce has turned to the Benin international in a bid to solve his striking crisis after Danny Welbeck and Asamoah Gyan joined the Black Cats' injury list during last week's 4-2 win over Wigan.
Sessegnon, 26, stands just 5ft 7in tall and started the game at left midfield but was pressed into service up front after Welbeck and Gyan were both forced off with hamstring problems.
The £6million signing from Paris St Germain in January could find himself playing as a lone frontman against Fulham on Saturday and Bruce is confident he will fill the void, even if he could do with a few more inches in height.
Bruce joked: "I don't think he has ever been an out-and-out number nine, but we are stretching him on the stretching machines down there at the minute seeing if he can be the new Drogba - that's what we have nicknamed him.
Versatile
"The beauty of Steph when we brought him in is that he can play in a variety of positions.
"When you bring in somebody from abroad, sometimes you would like to give them six or eight weeks to let them settle in and get out of the hotel, get their family settled and get used to playing in England.
"He is just coming to terms with that. He was excellent against Birmingham as well. He has produced some good performances. Even though the team hasn't won, he as an individual has done particularly well."
Ryan Noble might have given Bruce some back-up from the bench, but the 19-year-old striker jarred his knee on youth-team duty on Wednesday.
Sessegnon will therefore have to make do with support from midfield man Steed Malbranque.
Noble blow
"Noble, unfortunately, would you believe - this sums us up - got injured playing with the youth team," Bruce added.
"We thought we would give him a game because he hasn't played a lot.
"Sessegnon and Malbranque have good experience. They are not the biggest, but they will cause a few problems in different ways.
"They caused Wigan all sorts of problems. With Sessegnon's pace and Steed in behind him, they played particularly well last week.
"I haven't got many other options so that's probably what I will go with.
"We haven't got a recognised striker, but we managed to score four last week so you never know."
