The England prospect came through his first full game since January in the draw with Manchester United.

"We're absolutely delighted that Dunny's completed 90 minutes," Bruce said. "And in that United game I think we could all see what we've been missing.

"When he gets on the ball in the last third he always looks capable of making something happen, creating something, whether it's with a pass, a run or a shot."

He added: "All this stuff I read and hear about him, I've got every stat you could want about him and the work he does.

"Of course, he's better going forward, we know that, but he still puts his fair shift in.

"Because everything he does is at full pelt, people think it looks as if he's suffering when he recovers but he isn't. It's just that he's an explosive kind of player, he sprints with the ball more than most."

Dunn prefers to play just off the front but Bruce used him wide on the left last Saturday. "He was disciplined playing there but always looked a threat," Bruce said.

"He's never going to go past people like an out-and-out winger but he's dangerous when he drifts inside and he had that perfect foil with Julian Gray there at left-back.

"I think getting the 90 minutes in will have done him the world of good.