Tony Mowbray discusses his big Jack Clarke decision and whether he'll continue with it at Sunderland

The hosts had been dominant through the first half and were good value for their two-goal lead, but Clarke halved the deficit within moments of being moved through the middle at the break.

The 21-year-old continued to cause problems through the second half and with Ellis Simms at this stage deemed unlikely to be fit to face Wigan Athletic at the Stadium of Light next Saturday, Mowbray will have to consider continuing with his influential winger in a striking role.

Amad remains another contender after a lively cameo from the bench in South Wales.

"We're trying everything at the moment really - what Jack has is genuine pace and also maybe a little bit more physicality," Mowbray said.

"We started with Pritchard and Embleton who are technicians really, we wanted to try and draw them out and play. In certain games, at Reading it worked brilliantly we were able to get them [on the ball] and then slip our wide players away - but obviously every team analyses how you play and what you do.

"We needed to stop their middle centre-half coming out with the ball today and playing with the two number tens didn't really work for us, so we decided to try and put somebody up against him and occupy him.

"We needed someone who could run away from them and Jack is the obvious choice because of the physical attributes he's got.

READ MORE: 'Tenacious': Phil Smith's Sunderland player rating photos following Swansea City defeat

"We've got to accept that we haven't got a target man at the moment - you can see that every goal kick is difficult for us, if teams really press it's a challenge. You're either building from your own box or potentially trying to win a second ball in your own box because they're often winning that first header.

"We'll analyse Wigan and see how we think we need to go."

Sunderland will be without Corry Evans for that game due to suspension - but Mowbray will be able to call upon Dennis Cirkin after he returned to the matchday squad this weekend.