MICHAEL BEALE admits Sunderland have to find a way of improving their goalscoring record if they are going to remain in the promotion hunt for the remainder of the season.

The Black Cats have scored 37 goals in their 28 league games so far this term, fewer than any other side in the top 11 positions in the table and also a lower total than Plymouth, Swansea and Blackburn, all of whom are in the bottom half.

The issue predates Beale’s arrival as head coach, but has become more pronounced than ever in the last few weeks, with the last three matches having featured just one Sunderland goal.

“The defensive record is why we are where we are,” admitted Beale. “In the last 18 games, we’ve scored 18 goals, and that’s under three coaches. It’s been an ongoing issue. We’ve had an issue as a team where, when we have more possession and play against low blocks, we really struggle.

“We’d won two in nine under Tony (Mowbray), before he left. We’ve won four in nine since he left, so it’s important we stay in and around where we are.

“Over time, we’ll add players or get players back who make us more fluid, and that's the key thing. We've got a style of play but at the moment, under the pressure, we've not always been able to show it in the best light.”

READ MORE:

Sunderland signed four centre-forwards in the summer – Nazariy Rusyn, Mason Burstow, Eliezer Mayenda and Luis Hemir – but Rusyn’s goal in the New Year’s Day win over Preston is the only occasion on which any of them have found the net.

Mowbray often played without a natural number nine, preferring instead to field the likes of Alex Pritchard, Patrick Roberts or Jobe Bellingham as a makeshift central striker.

Beale has also gone down that route, but now appears to have concluded that his side is better served by having one of the summer signings leading the line.

“I don’t know about the time before I come here, but I have tried to integrate a number nine more, and in at least 50 per cent of the games, we’ve played with one,” said Beale, ahead of this afternoon's home game with Stoke City.

“You could argue at times we've been more fluid without it, but if you look back at the history of this club and when it's been successful, it’s been about number nines. It's important we play one and that whoever has it is worthy of it.”

Sunderland (probable, 4-1-4-1): Patterson; Seelt, O’Nien, Ballard, Hume; Ekwah; Pritchard, Neil, Bellingham, Clarke; Rusyn.