BARELY TWO weeks after succeeding Steve Bruce, Martin O’Neill has found himself knee deep in disciplinary issues at Sunderland. Ahead of the team’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow, O’Neill has been confronted with an awkward selection decision after it emerged that Lee Cattermole and Nicklas Bendtner had been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage in Newcastle city centre.

Northumbria police confirmed that Cattermole, Sunderland’s captain, and Bendtner, who is on loan from Arsenal, had been bailed after being arrested on Thursday in connection with an incident near St James’ Park in which cars were damaged on the evening of Tuesday December 6th.

Quite apart from deciding whether to pick the pair at White Hart Lane, Sunderland’s new manager must determine whether Cattermole should be stripped of the captaincy.

Sunderland declined to comment about Cattermole and Bendtner yesterday but, speaking before news of their arrests emerged, O’Neill indicated both players would be travelling to Spurs, with Bendtner, who has been injured, having participated in a behind-closed-doors practice game on Thursday.

Only last week the former Aston Villa manager took the bold step of recalling Titus Bramble for last Sunday’s 2-1 home win against Blackburn Rovers. It was the first time the defender had played since his arrest in September following a night out in Yarm.

Bramble, who served a six-week club suspension, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault and is scheduled for a crown court appearance in January.

O’Neill has not entirely abandoned hope of recalling Asamoah Gyan from a loan stint with Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates next month but accepts this remains a remote possibility.