Steve Bruce is convinced he will be given the time to turn Sunderland into a genuine force in the Barclays Premier League.

The 48-year-old has made a fine start to his career on Wearside, steering the club into eighth place after 13 games and sending them into Saturday's trip to Wigan only two points adrift of fifth-placed Aston Villa.

That has come courtesy of a run of results which has seen traditional top-four clubs Liverpool and Arsenal both lose at the Stadium of Light, and champions Manchester United only clinch a point at Old Trafford with a late own goal.

After two seasons struggling to survive in the top flight, spirits have soared with the Black Cats threatening finally to establish themselves in the Premier League and end their recent yo-yo existence.

Bruce, backed by the millions provided by owner Ellis Short which funded summer swoops for the likes of leading scorer Darren Bent, midfielders Lorik Cana and Lee Cattermole and defender Michael Turner, is confident that aim can be achieved, provided he is given the time to do it.

He told the club's official website, www.safc.com: "The first thing I need is time, and I'm convinced I will get that given the people I work for.

"I say that even though I have only known them for a short period.

"They are good people to work for and I'm determined to make sure we have a team that everyone is proud to be associated with. I believe we are making progress.

"I will be judged as a manager over a period of time. I don't want to be judged on the fact that we can do well against the top four - I hope I will be judged over time and that people will look back and say I did a decent job over my years with Sunderland."

Bruce will return to familiar territory this weekend when he takes his side to Wigan, the club he left to head back to his native north-east during the close-season, for the first time.

However, he will do so with injury and suspension problems limiting his choices in attack.

Bent, who scored his ninth goal of the season against the Gunners, is struggling with a hamstring problem which could yet sideline him for three weeks, while Kenwyne Jones completes a three-match ban.