Sunderland striker shortage an 'easy narrative' says Tony Mowbray

Ross Stewart absence is no more than an 'excuse,' according to the Sunderland manager.

Tony Mowbray says Sunderland cannot allow a lack of a striker become an excuse for failing to score goals.

The Black Cats had to settle for their second goalless draw in a week at the Stadium of Light as Blackpool frustrated them on Tuesday.

Despite a first half performance that promised much, Sunderland tailed off in the second half and could not find a breakthrough.

That has left many understandably pointing to the obvious lack of a striker with both Ross Stewart and Ellis Simms out injured at the moment.

Mowbray, though, believes that is too easy a narrative to push.

"We are playing without our main striker [Stewart], who is second-top scorer in the league, and when you look at all the data he is right up there at the top of every stat and he hasn't played for us for three or four games," Mowbray said.

"He is a loss, but as I constantly say I don't want to make him an excuse. We have to get on with it and find a way, but unfortunately in the last two home games we haven't scored so it is an easy narrative to talk about not having strikers.

"But we could easily have scored today, and we should have scored today."

ALSO READ: Sunderland 0-0 Blackpool Player Ratings: Alese shines again

Make sure you are following Sunderland Nation on Twitter by clicking here.