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Wigan preview
Wigan left-back Maynor Figueroa could make a return to the starting line-up for the visit of former manager Steve Bruce and his Sunderland side.

The Honduras international, originally signed by Bruce for Latics, is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a knee injury and was on the bench for last Sunday's 9-1 humiliation at Tottenham.

Erik Edman, who endured a torrid time at White Hart Lane, would be the man to drop out.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez does not believe the return of former Latics boss Bruce will place any more significance on an already important match for his side.

Having been embarrassed 9-1 at Tottenham last weekend, with eight goals coming in the final 39 minutes as the Latics capitulated, Martinez is looking for a response from his players.

And the occasion of Bruce's first game at the DW Stadium since leaving in the summer makes no difference to the Spaniard.

"It is such an important game for us after what happened on Sunday that it doesn't need any extra spice," said Martinez.

"Steve comes back to a club where he had great success but from our point of view it is all about our reaction and our performance.

"It has been too hurtful a week to distract any attention and it doesn't need any add ons.

"We are so focused on our reaction and performance and showing our togetherness it doesn't matter who we are playing against."

Extra spice' was introduced earlier in the week by chairman Dave Whelan who said Bruce had to take some of the blame for the Tottenham shambles as he had left Martinez with some "dodgy signings".

Added to that is the fact Bruce has already returned to the club to lure away midfielder Lee Cattermole - who is injured for tomorrow match - and is continually linked with a January move for Wigan left-back Maynor Figueroa.

But for Martinez his sole focus this week has been on the players he has at his disposal, rebuilding their shattered confidence and preparing them for Sunderland.

"In spells I've watched the DVD about nine or 10 times," said Martinez of the Spurs result.

"There were many things we didn't do well in the second half and we need to correct that.

"We could have lost 3-1 and nothing would have happened, it would just have been an accepted defeat by the outside world.

"But because the scoreline is what it is it highlights the problems and weaknesses we had this season.

"We need to make sure that never happens again and we improve those areas. It has been very good in training, it has been the right reaction, but you can only judge that on Saturday."

Sunderland preview
Sunderland striker Darren Bent has a fighting chance of being fit for the game.

Scans have shown the England international did no lasting damage to his hamstring in last weekend's 1-0 win over Arsenal and could make the game at the DW Stadium.

Black Cats boss Bruce is also boosted by the return of Michael Turner from suspension, although that leaves him with a difficult decision after seeing Paulo da Silva and John Mensah stand firm against the Gunners.

Midfielder Lee Cattermole (medial ligament) could be as little as three weeks away from a return but keeper Craig Gordon is out for three months with a broken arm.

Bruce is happy to defend his transfer spending as he heads back to former club Wigan, but will allow his re-shaped Sunderland squad do the talking for him.

Of the 11 men who started last Saturday's 1-0 Barclays Premier League victory over Arsenal, three - Paulo da Silva, John Mensah and Lorik Cana - were signed by Bruce after his arrival at the Stadium of Light from Wigan during the summer, and two more, Michael Turner and Lee Cattermole, would have played had they not been suspended and injured respectively.

Cana and Cattermole in particular have been major hits on Wearside, while Paraguay international da Silva, unknown in England until he arrived at Sunderland is, like Cana, rapidly approaching cult status.

Bruce said: "In management, a big part of it is that you are judged on your signings. It's a vital part of management - the biggest part, if I am being honest.

"The one thing you want when you do sign a few players is that they can it the ground running.

"Thankfully, the vast majority we have brought into the squad have done that. They have all had a good start to their careers at Sunderland here, so we are delighted about that." "We are trying to build something here," he added.

Wigan vs Sunderland

Last modified 22:52 29/11/09

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History will tell you that there are two ways you can go after losing nine goals in a Premier League game - down to the Championship or up Wembley Way.

So get a few bob on Roberto Martinez and his Wigan warriors heading for the FA Cup final this season if this is the response they carry on for the rest of the season.

Latics became only the third club in the modern era to take that kind of pasting when they were tortured at Tottenham. The memory of that will not fade, but it's what happens after that matters just as much.

Steve Coppell's Crystal Palace came back from the lashing at Liverpool to take Manchester United to a replay in the FA Cup final eight months later.

George Burley's Ipswich were mauled by Manchester United and never recovered as they took the drop, not even scoring in their next five games.

Wigan are the first of that trio to respond with a win and who knows where the reaction will lead them. Judging by the new steely determination in their eyes it could even be the making of them.

Roberto Martinez has put together a new side that is prone to highs and lows, the young manager does at times look for the performance more than the result - but the Spurs affair may just have cleared all of their heads.

Keeper Chris Kirkland felt it more than most and revealed the agony they have gone through and plan to avoid ever again. He said: "It's been a really tough week, horrendous - probably the worst of my life.

"It took until Thursday to get over it. We were all down which you would expect. The only way to put it right was on the training pitch and then in the game.

"We had to respond and we did it. We have got to take that performance into the rest of the season - and for the rest of our time here."

Kirkland and his mates proved that footballers do care when they refunded the supporters who went to White Hart Lane and the feelings ran deep up to and during this game.

He said: "We let a lot of people down, we are very upset. It's not just the players who feel it, but the fans and the people who work here. The whole city was feeling it.

"It was extremely upsetting, but it's not just about me or the players. That one was for everyone connected with Wigan Athletic. There is a long way to go, we have got to carry this on.

"There is nothing like a 1-0, but we will not forget last week. We want to make sure it never happens again. It was embarrassing, but we managed to come out with a fantastic result."

Martinez's heart is clearly in the right place too. He wants to play the beautiful game, but this one was about heart and desire - summed up by Hugo Rodallega taking a horror fall and playing on to score a gutsy winner.

This was his biggest test so far and the days in between were hard. He said: "It felt like a month. It is a moment when you need to react, it is a situation that separates men from kids. They took responsibility individually and collectively.

"This could be the most important result. I felt it was a Cup Final in its own right you don't get a bigger test in professional football. I feel we are a better group as a result of this week and we know now we can get through this week we are ready to fulfil our potential."

Martinez picked the right team - giving ten of the players a chance to put the record straight - and said: "Sometimes the biggest change is not making more than one change. The players needed to flush that out of their bodies with another chance which is what they got.

"It was important there was so much pain at White Hart Lane and we got the right response and now we can look forward rather than look back.

"We were at our lowest ever and Sunderland were on the highest after an great performance against Arsenal and that clash of mentality was a real test.

"You don't really get over that until you win and winning games in the Premier League is really tough and to do it in every department has been an excellent way to bounce back."

WIGAN: Kirkland 6 - Melchiot 6, Boyce 7, Bramble 5, Figueroa 6 - Thomas 6, Diame 7 - N'Zogbia 7, Scharner 7, Rodallega 8 - Scotland 6 [Gomez 54, 5].

SUNDERLAND: Fulop 6 - Bardsley 6, Turner 6, Da Silva 6 [Zenden 84], McCartney 6 [Healy 84] - Cana 6 - Malbranque 6 [Campbell ht, 5], Henderson 6, Reid 7, Richardson 5 - Bent 6.