Under-fire Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has the full backing of the Black Cats players, according to striker Darren Bent.
After a great start to the season Sunderland have struggled for results and are now looking anxiously over their shoulders at the relegation places after failing to pick up a win in the last 13 Premier League games.
Some Sunderland fans are starting to turn on the manager but Bent says that is not the case in the dressing room and he believes Bruce is the man to turn things around.
"All the players are behind the manager 100 per cent," said Bent. "We know he's the man to take us forward. We'd all like to be further up the league, but it shouldn't be forgotten that it's still early days for him and his team.
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At every club, the manager is the one who gets the stick, but it's the players who have to perform on the pitch."