Tony Mowbray reveals his message to Sunderland players as they face up to familiar dilemma

With Ross Stewart injured and Joe Gelhardt cup-tied, Mowbray is back to facing a familiar dilemma: he is without a recognised striker and this time against Premier League opposition.

It's a problem that could return later in the season if Gelhardt were to pick up an injury, and Mowbray is keen to see the rest of the squad share on the burden.

With Alex Pritchard still making a managed comeback from a calf injury, it looks likely that it will be Amad who is asked to push up and lead the line on Wednesday night.

It has led to more of a familiar conversation, with Mowbray urging his immensely-talented loanee to shoot more and to shoot earlier.

However, Mowbray says that applies to a number of his players.

"I think Amad thinks I'm a record that's got stuck, to be honest," Mowbray said in his pre-match press conference.

"He's such a wonderful talent and the ball is stuck to his foot, he can just keep skipping past players. We'd just like sometimes for him to just get past the first one and then shoot. Listen, you couldn't be in anyway critical of Amad because he has scored and created goals for us. He just wants to play football and that's what you want.

"I've mentioned to players like Dan Neil as well, back yourself and shoot when you get 20 yards out. It can't always be the side foot pass to slip someone in and suddenly we've got an empty net. We've been trying to drive home that the wide players have to get in the box more, and that we have to shoot more.

"Without that poacher, we have to get more players in the box to score and everyone has to chip in as part of that. Dan has to shoot, Patrick and Jack have to get in when the ball is on the other side, Amad has to get in the box."

Mowbray's attacking options will be bolstered from this weekend, with Isaac Lihadji available for the first time.