Lee Bowyer still believes Charlton can finish inside League One’s automatic promotion places.

The Addicks boss is insistent his side will “only get stronger” once players return from injury and the club makes a few more signings during the January transfer window.

Bowyer reiterated the belief he has in his team and suggested Charlton could go on a winning run stretching up to 10 games between now and the end of the season.

The draw with Sunderland leaves them five points off second-place Luton Town, and four above Peterborough United who will be seeking to re-enter the play-off spots after dropping out.

READ: Player ratings from Charlton's comeback draw with Sunderland

Discussing the use of 18-year-old Albie Morgan in the team amid the current injury woes, he said: “He hadn't started a league game until Tuesday, and now he's playing against Sunderland. This is how we low are at the moment, this is what I'm talking about.

“On Tuesday we played with two 18-year-old kids. They're not really ready but we have no choice. It's like, 'Go on! Go and play!'

“I'm not making any excuses because I believe in us, I still believe now we'll finish [in the] top two. I still do.

“Because now we're only going to get stronger. We'll probably bring in another couple of players through the window and then we'll get stronger as more players come back [from injury], and as that happens then I honestly believe there's nothing to stop us winning the next six, seven games.

“Eight games, 10 games. Nothing.

“I believe in them. We've been on runs before and I believe we'll go and do it again, I honestly do.”

READ: Report: Charlton 1 Sunderland 1: A tale of two halves at the Valley

Sunderland would take the lead just minutes into their clash with Charlton when Luke O’Nien found the back of the net at the back post.

The hosts struggled in the first half but came out reinvigorated after the break, grabbing their equaliser through a Reece James own goal.

Charlton had several opportunities to take the lead for the first time in the game but would settle for a point as they continue their promotion push.

Bowyer underlined the pride he has in the team despite the circumstances, particularly with results against teams in and around them.

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He added: “We've played Sunderland here, should've won. Unlucky not to win. Barnsley we've beaten, Portsmouth we've beaten away. Luton, drew, I thought we were the better side there.

“Peterborough, we got robbed.

“All those sides, in and around or above us, we've beaten them all. That's with a squad that's constantly getting injuries. I'd love to play all these teams with our full side.

“You have your full side, we have our full side. I would love that, but we haven't got that. That's no excuses, that's a fact.

“I'm really proud of what the squad is doing, that's why you build a squad and that's why you call it squad because no matter who comes in you have to be able to trust them.

“I trust every single one of them.”