DESPITE Sunderland's goalscoring drought showing no signs of coming to an end, striker Stephen Elliott has claimed his fledgling partnership with Kevin Kyle is a success story waiting to happen.

With Liam Lawrence and Dean Whitehead currently topping the Black Cats' scoring charts, the forward line's chronic lack of success is clearly a crucial factor in the club's season of strife.

Sunderland's six established strikers - Elliott, Kyle, Jon Stead, Andy Gray, Daryl Murphy and Anthony Le Tallec - boast just seven Premiership goals between them.

Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Wigan was only the second game that Elliott and Kyle have started together following a succession of injury problems.

Elliott missed almost four months of this season with a back problem, while Kyle was sidelined for almost 18 months because of an injured hip.

They both drew a blank at the weekend, but Elliott is confident the goals will start to flow.

"Goals have been hard to come by this season," said the Republic of Ireland international, whose two Premiership goals came in successive games against Manchester United and Newcastle last October. "But I really think that the partnership between myself and Kevin can be a success.

"I have waited a long time to play with him because of our injuries. But now we are playing together and we are both determined to make the partnership work.

"I have always enjoyed playing with a target-man, and I think that playing alongside someone small and quick like myself suits Kevin's game.

"We are already starting to get an understanding. But these things take time and I hope people will be patient with us.

"Until this month, we have never really played together and it won't click straightaway. But we will get there, hopefully sooner rather than later."

With Elliott's pace and guile combining with Kyle's aerial ability and strength, the duo have already evoked inevitable comparisons with Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn.

That partnership was one of the most successful in Sunderland's history and, while neither member of the current 'Little and Large' combination is placing too much emphasis on their similarities, both are hoping to emulate their predecessors.

With Kyle having broken his lengthy goalscoring duck this month, Elliott is hoping his own wait for a goal is also about to end.

"The gaffer (Mick McCarthy) bought me to play with Kevin because he liked the little and large combination," he said.

"People have talked about Quinn and Phillips but that's for them. We wouldn't compare ourselves to anyone else. We just want to play our own games.

"It's great that Kevin has got on the scoresheet. His goal at Manchester City meant a lot to him and I'm sure it will be the first of many.

"It has been a while since I got one and I can't wait to end my own drought. I think that playing with Kevin gives me the best chance of doing that."

l Andy Gray is poised to make a surprise return to former club Leeds this week. Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell has asked to take the 28-year-old on loan at Elland Road until the end of the season.

Former Black Cats boss Mick McCarthy had been holding out for a permanent deal when Championship side Derby enquired about Gray's availability earlier this season, but current caretaker Kevin Ball is willing to let the striker leave on a temporary basis.

Gray has only scored once since leaving Sheffield United in a £1.1m move last summer, and that success came on the opening day.