On 81 minutes Spurs substitute Fraizer Campbell slotted home to create late tension but Fulham deserved their win.
The Black Cats got off to the perfect start when Fraizer Campbell side-footed them ahead after just 41 seconds.
Pearce also later replaced Fraizer Campbell with Theo Walcott as England looked to inject some added pace into their play.
Bent, Ahmed Elmohamady and Fraizer Campbell all had attempts in the first 10 minutes but failed to trouble City keeper Hart.
The departure of those two players has left Ferguson with a shortage of strikers, with Fraizer Campbell also likely to be sold.
Fraizer Campbell broke the deadlock midway through the first half, beating Brad Friedel with a cool finish after being fed by Kieran Richardson.
Bruce has made Cattermole his fifth summer signing following Darren Bent, Lorik Cana, Fraizer Campbell and Paulo Da Silva to the Stadium of Light.
United do have Fraizer Campbell and Danny Wellbeck who are young and inexperienced, while Louis Saha has been bedevilled by a succession of injuries.
The 26-year-old joins new signings Paulo da Silva, Lee Cattermole, Lorik Cana, Fraizer Campbell and Darren Bent at the Stadium of Light this summer.
The 25-year-old is currently the club's only fit forward following Darren Bent's move to Aston Villa, and injury to Danny Welbeck and Fraizer Campbell.
Gyan's arrival comes on the day it was announced that striker Fraizer Campbell will be out for at least six months after rupturing cruciate ligaments.
Fraizer Campbell's cross gave Modric an inviting opportunity, but he could only direct his effort over the top as time started to run out for Spurs.
Birmingham rallied well and on the hour Cameron Jerome ran clear to pull a goal back, but late on Fraizer Campbell's sliding finish sealed the home victory.
The KC Stadium club have failed to sign forwards Fraizer Campbell, who joined Sunderland, Marc-Antoine Fortune, who signed for Celtic, and Michael Owen, who linked up with Manchester United.
United striker Fraizer Campbell, 20, moved in the other direction on a season-long loan deal and Spurs decided not to pursue their complaint to the Premier League accusing United of chasing Berbatov.
The absence of Jonathan Woodgate, Ledley King and Michael Dawson left a huge void in the Tottenham defence and there was certainly plenty of space as another former Spur Fraizer Campbell swooped to meet Kieran Richardson's corner.
However, the exploratory surgery has ruled out any chance of that happening and Welbeck is now not expected to play again until March, which is roughly the time his team-mate Fraizer Campbell is expected to return after a six-month injury lay-off.
But with the deal now dead in the water he will have to look elsewhere as he seeks to cover Bent and Danny Welbeck who is out for eight weeks after exploratory knee surgery, with Fraizer Campbell also a long-term absentee.
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