Team news

Sunderland preview
Sunderland new-boy Alan Hutton could be handed a debut in the Barclays Premier League clash with Wigan.

The Scot is in line to take over at right-back with Phil Bardsley and John Mensah, the man who played in his place against Stoke on Monday night, both struggling with hamstring injuries.

There could be a place in the squad too for fellow new arrival Benjani Mwaruwari while Michael Turner and Lee Cattermole have suffered no reaction to their respective returns to action.

The game is likely to come too soon for Kieran Richardson (calf) while Anton Ferdinand remains on the sidelines with his ankle problem and Nyron Nosworthy.

David Healy and Daryl Murphy have been allowed to leave the club on loan.

Steve Bruce is convinced victory over Wigan could turn Sunderland's season around as they battle to end a dismal run of results.

The Black Cats entertain Bruce's former club knowing extending a run of 10 Barclays Premier League games without a victory could plunge them into relegation trouble, something which would have been unthinkable just a few months ago.

Sunderland have collected just four from a possible 30 points since the day they confirmed their impressive start to the campaign with a home victory over Arsenal on November 21 and they now sit just three points clear of the drop zone.

Bruce, who nevertheless enjoys the continued support of the Wearside hierarchy, admits times are tough but is confident redemption is at hand.

He said: "It's not easy, the situation, but I do think you do become a better manager if you survive it and I am absolutely convinced we can get the right result and turn our season around again. We are getting to the nitty-gritty party of the season and I am very, very confident we can get a win and we can turn it around.

"However, it must come quickly, there's no hiding from that. Just like we had a wonderful start, we have had a dismal run and we have got to address it and hopefully get the victory which will send everyone on their way."

Wigan preview
New signing Victor Moses will be in the squad for Wigan's trip north.

The striker completed a move from Crystal Palace on transfer deadline day but Marcelo Moreno, who joined on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk until the end of the season, is still awaiting international clearance and is unlikely to be included.

Captain Mario Melchiot has not trained all week because of a neck problem and faces a late fitness test but goalkeeper Chris Kirkland is still recovering from a collarbone injury so Vladimir Stojkovic will continue to deputise.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez will not allow the match at Sunderland to become a personal battle against opposite number Bruce as there are more important issues at stake.

Bruce left the Latics in the summer after being lured by the greater finances and supposed better prospects on offer at the Stadium of Light.

However, the former Manchester United defender has found life tough in his native north east with the Black Cats.

Martinez is in a similar situation, with his side two points behind the Black Cats having won only one in eight league games having been restricted to considerably less out-lay in the transfer market.

Martinez said: "It is a huge game. If you look at the positions in the table they have played a game more than us but are two points ahead. That shows you the importance of three points on Saturday. Sunderland are a little low on confidence and have found it difficult to get results recently.

Sunderland vs Wigan

Last modified 22:52 06/02/10

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Wigan fans teased and taunted their former boss Steve Bruce as Sunderland’s run without a Premier League win stretched to a worrying 11 games.

Troubled Bruce was assailed with chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” – but he certainly won’t get his P45 this week after Kenwyne Jones grabbed a 64th-minute equaliser that sparked a second-half revival.

But with his team having taken just five points out of the last 33 the pressure is certainly mounting.

Bruce will not have liked the booing that rang around the Stadium of Light.

He said: “The one thing I am not going to do is give it up. I have never given anything up in my life.

“We have been on a horrible run. We have to start addressing it, starting with Portsmouth on Tuesday night. We have forgotten how to play the game.”

Sunderland haven’t won a league game since beating Arsenal on November 21 and on the evidence of an awful first-half showing have the look of relegation candidates.

The early-season spirit that produced home wins over Liverpool and Arsenal has disappeared and they showed no confidence until Jones got them back into a game they were chasing after Mohamed Diame’s 20th-minute opener.

The Frenchman robbed Lorik Cana before striding purposefully beyond Matthew Kilgallon to the edge of the box, where he unleashed a powerful, angled drive.

It was Diame’s first goal for Wigan and was a magnificent piece of finishing.

Wigan’s breakthrough was hardly a surprise as the Black Cats were embarrassingly disjointed at the back with Kilgallon and Michael Turner looking all at sea.

The goal stretched Sunderland nerves and their fans’ anxiety and frustration spread to the players.

One of the few moments of inspiration for the lacklustre Black Cats in the first half came on the half-hour when Jones fired in a low drive that was deflected by Maynor Figueroa on to a post.

Lee Cattermole forced Chris Kirkland into his first serious save 10 minutes later with a rising drive that the Wigan keeper instinctively tipped over the bar.

Paul Scharner scorned an inviting chance to increase Wigan’s lead before the break and boss Roberto Martinez must have felt his side – who have won just once in nine matches – did enough to win the game in the first 45 minutes.

Craig Gordon made a vital save from James McCarthy to prevent the visitors taking a 2-0 lead early in the second period and Charles N’Zogbia also missed a decent chance.

But Sunderland showed more flair and invention after the break. Jordan Henderson produced a glorious cross that Turner glanced inches wide then produced a carbon-copy cross that Jones powerfully headed home for his seventh goal of the season.

Sunderland looked as if they could go and win the match but Henderson was carried off with an ankle injury which upset their momentum.

Wigan boss Martinez admitted his side’s failure to score a second goal was key.

He said: “The hardest thing is coming away from home and scoring that first goal and once we did that, we coped really well in the first half.

“We expected them to be direct and put us under pressure in the last third, but the disappointment is that we needed to score that second goal.”