Steve Parkin has dropped a hint that Sunderland could look to play Kyle Lafferty alongside Charlie Wyke up top in the coming weeks.

The Black Cats have settled on a 3-4-3 formation in recent weeks, with Wyke being flanked by Chris Maguire and Lynden Gooch.

This has certainly proved effective in recent weeks, but with more attacking talent on the bench, Phil Parkinson could be tempted to change things up to keep their opponents guessing.

Lafferty arrived at the club last month but has been limited to cameo appearances off the bench, while their other striker Will Grigg has fallen way down the pecking order after a disappointing start to the season.

However according to Parkinson's number two, the Black Cats could be tempted to change things up to accommodate two up top.

As quoted by the Northern Echo, Parkin said: "People say it’s harder to play that way for the full 90 minutes, but I don’t necessarily think that’s the case.

"Charlie’s got football intelligence and he’s good at bringing people into play, we saw that at the weekend.

“Kyle has also got good touch, but he’s a runner as well. He can run down the side of people, and I think the pair of them together could be a threat, I really do.

“It’s not just about that, it’s also about making sure you have the right balance to the rest of the team around them, but I definitely think it’s a viable option.

"You have to have the right balance, both in and out of possession, but it’s certainly not something that we’ve dismissed.”

Can you name every Sunderland player's shirt number this season? 

 

The verdict

While Sunderland have looked very impressive of late, there's no harm in having a backup option.

The 3-4-3 system has served Phil Parkinson's side well, but a time may come when teams start to figure them out and nullify the threat that they pose.

That is the time when having strength in depth will be very handy.

While they're not starting at the moment, the likes of Kyle Lafferty and Will Grigg could be valuable options as the weeks tick by and that versatility could be key in helping them achieve their goals.