Steve Bruce says Lorik Cana would only have let Liverpool score "over his dead body" on Saturday.

Bruce was full of praise for his super skipper following Saturday's 1-0 win and highlighted the Albanian's determination and passion as the main reasons behind his rapid rise to huge popularity on Wearside.

Nicknamed 'Le Destructeur' during his time in France with Marseille, Cana has already won many friends in England - and secured his spot as Sunderland captain - with his all-action displays.

The £5m Bruce shelled out to acquire the 26-year-old is rapidly looking like a bargain and his skipper repaid another chunk of that fee by serving up a dominant performance on Saturday.

He locked horns with Rafa Benitez's Reds in the middle of the park before moving to centre-half after George McCartney went off at the break, leading his side through a late spell of pressure and on to victory.

"I think everyone likes to a see a footballer who wears his heart on his sleeve and gives everything," said Bruce, who admitted such behaviour was "prerequisite" for a Sunderland favourite.

"It's wrong to single out individuals, but sometimes you just have to say what you see.  His performance - particularly in the second half - was wonderful, both as a football player and as a captain.

"They were only going to score over his dead body and that epitomises Lorik.  I said he'd be a cult hero here when I signed him and it's turning out that way."

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