REGIS Le Bris insists Aaron Connolly can still have a major impact for Sunderland this season and is backing the striker to play a key role during the busy festive period.

It's been a tough start to life on Wearside for Connolly, who has made just two starts and only scored one goal since joining the club as a free agent in September.

Connolly has talked openly about his struggle with alcohol and spent a month in rehab in the summer.

Le Bris always felt patience would be needed with the former Brighton striker, who has only played 17 minutes of action in Sunderland's last five Championship games despite the Black Cats being short of attacking options.

The head coach, however, has been particularly impressed by Connolly on the training pitches over the course of the last week and opportunities will follow for the 24-year-old, with Sunderland preparing for a spell of five games in 16 days, starting with tomorrow's visit of Norwich City.

"We will 100 per cent need him over this period, 100 per cent," said Le Bris.

"It's still a long journey for Aaron. When he came here, he had been through a tough period and I think the first stage was very positive for him. Then you have to face with the reality and when you are a professional footballer at this level, it is difficult to maintain and probably he struggled for a little bit.

"But this last week for example, has been very positive for him. So I think that this period could be positive for him."

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Wilson Isidor has established himself as Le Bris' first choice striker and that won't change anytime soon, despite the fact the loanee has gone six games without a goal.

Le Bris says Connolly has a different skillset to Isidor, which he believes could be particularly useful in certain fixtures in the coming weeks.

"It is a different style of play," he said.

"Wilson is very useful for our style of play because he is so mobile, can run in behind, always involved in the different phases of play. He is a good finisher even if he has not scored as much of late.

"For this league and the style of play we have, he fits well. Aaron is a little different in style, he is a good footballer and is probably more important when we play against a low block.

"I think this is something we will have to face during this period and we are going to need a good, strong Aaron."

Norwich head for the Stadium of Light on the back of a three-game winless run, but Le Bris said: "They are an impressive team. They build their play with such high intensity.

"We know it will be an interesting challenge but one we are ready for. We have prepared correctly and we are looking forward to playing in front of our supporters once again.

"We are all on this journey together. It is a group project. You can feel the energy throughout the training ground, the stadium and most importantly, with the supporters."