MICK McCarthy's search for a striker to score the goals to keep the Black Cats in the Premier League is expected to see the Sunderland boss make an official approach to land Ajax's Yannis Anastasiou.

The Greek attacker has found his chances hard to come by this season but impressed when scoring twice for the Dutch side in the Champions League win over FC Thun.

With McCarthy's strikers registering just four league goals between them this term, the Sunderland boss is determined to bolster his attack.

The 32-year-old former Anderlecht and Roda JC player's record of just seven goals in 26 games for Ajax before the current season is far from prolific but, with the Dutch giants keen to broker a loan deal, it would allow McCarthy to work around the financial constraints which will govern his options when the transfer window opens in six weeks time.

The move could hasten the departure of France Under-21 star Anthony Le Tallec from Wearside, with the Liverpool player already unhappy with his stay at the Stadium of Light.

The 21-year-old hasn't started a league game since the defeat at Wigan in August and although on a season-long loan he could be sent back to Merseyside when the transfer window opens in January.

One striker who is desperate to show the fans just how good he can be at the highest level is Andy Gray.

The £1.1m signing from Sheffield United scored on his debut for the Black Cats against Charlton but has failed to find the net in 11 games since.

This weekend he'll be up against Sunderland's post-war record goalscorer Kevin Phillips, who hit 130 goals in 235 appearances during his spell on Wearside.

The Aston Villa striker remains a legend at the Stadium of Light and Gray has less lofty ambitions for his time with the Black cats.

"There's no need to speak to anyone about Kevin Phillips," said the 28-year-old. "It's down there in black and white what he did for the club.

"He was fantastic and it's definitely something to aspire to what he achieved at Sunderland. If I could go halfway to what he did at Sunderland I'd be happy."

Gray is refusing to reveal what he expects to achieve this season in front of goal, with his focus firmly on how to turn round the miserable start to the season the Black Cats have endured.

"I have set myself targets but I don't want to say what they are - as a striker it just puts you under more pressure. But I think the goal-scoring situation is a collective thing. The most important thing is not for me to start scoring, it's about picking up points.

"You have to put your own ambitions on the back burner when a team's performing like we are at the moment. The important thing is picking up points, who scores is irrelevant.

"You don't get many chances in this league so when they do come along you have to try to take them.

"I really have only had one decent chance - against West Ham - apart from scoring on the opening day of the season (against Charlton).

"In the Championship, even at the top end, you tend to get a couple of chances every game.

"That's why this is the best league in the world. It's got the best players in the world, the best defences in the world and the best strikers in the world.

"It's where everyone wants to be and we've got to work and try to stay there."

One player who may also interest Sunderland is Costa Rica striker Paulo Wanchope, who claims a return to England in the January transfer window is ''more than just a possibility''.

The former Manchester City and Derby County striker, who is Costa Rica's leading scorer with 43 international goals, is currently playing in Qatar for Al Gharafa after leaving Spanish side Malaga in August.

* Sunderland striker Stephen Elliott will join former player Gary Bennett to sign copies of the club's latest history book this evening.

The duo will be in the club's SAFC Retail outlet at Sainsbury's in the Galleries, Washington, between 5pm and 7pm, autographing copies of Sunderland: The Complete Record, a comprehensive history of Sunderland AFC.

Read more about Sunderland here.