Sunderland midfielder Ross Wallace is determined to find the back of the net more this season.

He told the Shields Gazette: "It is an important time for me, with Kieran Richardson being out with his back injury.

"Over the next few weeks hopefully I will get a few games, score a few goals and play well.

"I need to create things and get crosses into the box, and hopefully I can keep on doing that and we can put in the sort of displays which will get us the wins we need.

"I'm working on getting in the box a lot more, getting to the back post and trying to get on the scoresheet - it would be nice if I could get as many goals as last season.

"It helps when you can get in behind them, and sometimes you can do that because of how well Kenwyne Jones and Michael Chopra can play.

"Kenwyne's strength in turning defences and Chops' ability to cause problems means that people like me and Grant Leadbitter, the wide players, should try and get on the end of things as much as possible.

"Goals have to come from midfield as well as the strikers, there's no argument about that."