Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray explains his key striker selection call in Stoke City defeat

Tony Mowbray defended his decision not to play with a recognised striker in the defeat to Stoke City, saying that neither Mason Burstow or Nazariy Rusyn had been able to train with the side ahead of the game.

Mowbray opted to play with Alex Pritchard and Patrick Roberts as his most advanced players as Sunderland fell to a 2-1 defeat, punished for slack defending at the start of each half.

The head coach ended the game with all three of his strikers on the pitch, with Luis Hemir following Burstow and Rusyn into the fray.

None of the trio were able to generate a chance of note, though the Black Cats did have some significant openings through Jack Clarke, Dan Ballard and substitute Adil Aouchiche.

Sunderland's final preparations for the game were heavily impacted by Storm Babet and Mowbray said he wanted to pick the team who had worked together at the start of the week, and in a style that had produced many significant wins in similar games last season.

"Mason didn't coming back to training until Friday, and it was the same with Nazariy Rusyn who had been away with Ukraine," Mowbray said.

"Jewison Bennette didn't actually get back until after our training session on Friday. He flew 11 hours from Costa Rica, you can't play in those circumstances.

"You have to train and prepare for the game and we'd had Pritchard and Roberts working with us all week. Training was tough on Friday in the conditions with Storm Babet, so it was a very difficult preparation if I'm trying to defend the team a little bit. Of course, I know it was probably the same for Stoke City. We have to accept that defeat is part of the game, and try to bounce back on Tuesday.

"We've had this discussion before, if you've got your speed and power in the wide areas and you get the centre halves under the ball in midfield areas, if they get turned there's lots of space for you try and slide wingers in when they dive in behind their full back.

"We decided that was the way we were going to play and we had huge success last season playing that way when we had no strikers. This year we do have strikers but they are young boys who need integrating into the team.

"Rusyn and Mason have been away on international duty, so we felt we would come here and try and play the way we know we can play. I don't see that as a main issue, it's difficult when Burstow has been away and played twice. Two games, a different way of playing and training, then just one training session to try and slip back in.

"We picked the team that we'd been able to work with in the early part of the week, albeit Trai Hume and Dan Ballard were away.

"It sounds like a lot of excuses, congratulations to Stoke. But when we look at ourselves, I would say that we were below par. I'm sure that with some good training sessions, we can get back to what we're good at and how we play."

Sunderland travel to Leicester City on Tuesday evening.