SUNDERLAND’S need for a natural number nine was made all the more evident after the Black Cats drew a blank for the first time this season against Coventry. 

Tony Mowbray’s side earned a hard-fought point at the Coventry Building Society Arena but were unable to carve out a clear-cut chance all afternoon. 

The Black Cats are now winless in 12 games away at Coventry in all competitions a run which stretches back to April 1985.

Former Sunderland loanee Ellis Simms led the line for Coventry while his replacement Haji Wright spurned a golden chance to win the game late on with Anthony Patterson making a crucial save. 

In contrast, Mowbray opted to play 17-year-old Jobe Bellingham up top although the teenager was unable to seriously trouble the Sky Blues defence. 

And Mowbray admits he is unsure whether the club will sign another striker before the end of the transfer window. 

Mowbray said: We’re always disappointed when we don’t score, we went through the whole of last season without strikers just about and we just try and find a way. 

“If there’s an excuse for us as a team, we don’t have a killer centre forward and I’m not sure we will by the end of the window. 

“They’re not falling off trees, it’s really hard to find them and prise them away from clubs, we just need a little bit of help at the top end of the pitch. 

“I’m part of the discussions but I’m not making the calls or having the conversations with people, the recruitment department has been amazing at this football club. 

“I know it’s not through a focus and dedication to the job that we’ve found it difficult to supplement the strikers we already have.” 

However, Mowbray believes the club has enough striker options with Scotland international and main goal threat Ross Stewart set to return after the international break. 

The Sunderland boss also rued the absence of influential playmaker Patrick Roberts who remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. 

Mowbray added: “We have Ross Stewart who will be ready not long after the international break, we have Eliezer [Mayenda], a young French kid who is powerful, dynamic and quick. 

“We’ve got Luis [Semedo] who came on, we just have to get them fit and on the pitch. 

“Who knows what Patrick Roberts would have done, he can be a genius on any given day and make the difference in a football match.” 

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At the other end of the pitch, Sunderland recorded their first clean sheet of the season as centre-backs Luke O’Nien and Daniel Ballard impressed. 

And Mowbray has challenged experienced defender Danny Batth to fight for his place in the first team with the 32-year-old yet to feature in the league this season. 

He said: “Danny was brilliant at first contacts on set plays in both boxes and dominated the big physical guys last year for us. 

“If he is here after the window shuts, he has to compete to get in the team, if he doesn’t he might get frustrated and want to go and play. 

“It’s not the club trying to get rid of people, it’s the club saying we’re trying to build for the future, we sign young footballers who need polishing up. 

“If they need game time to get to the level to show they are real assets to the club, I’ll be giving them game time. 

“I talk to the players every day, I’m not trying to push them out the door, they’re amazing people.” 

The goalless draw was Mowbray’s 50th match in charge of the Black Cats following his appointment in August 2022 with Sunderland picking up their first away point of the season.