Bruce's Liverpool warning

Steve Bruce admits Sunderland will come up against a 'formidable side' in Liverpool on Sunday and is backing the Reds to secure a top four finish come May.

Rafael Benitez's contingent are currently four points behind fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur in the race for Champions League football having played a game more.

However, Bruce insists it would be foolish for anyone to write off Liverpool's hopes of ending the campaign in the league's top quartet.

"If anyone can do it, they can because Liverpool are still very much a formidable side," said the Black Cats' boss.

"They've been a formidable side for as long as I can remember and they remain so now.

"I know there's been a lot of talk about them this season and by their own standards they'll be very disappointed not to be in the Champions League and not to be in with a chance of winning the Premier League either.

"But they still have a good chance of finishing in the top four and you'd have to be daft to write them off."

He added: "They may have had a bit of an up and down time of things this season but we had a bit of luck on our side when they beat them at the Stadium of Light with the beach ball incident and they could well be due their usual strong finish to the season.

"People are often too quick to write sides off and Liverpool are the sort of team that can easily put a string of wins together, especially with their pedigree.

"You're talking about Anfield and Gerrard and Torres for goodness sake!

"So we know that it's going to be tough."

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