Preview: Sunderland vs. Wigan Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

Last season's top two in League One will be meeting for the first time in the second tier since the 2004-05 campaign, which saw the Black Cats win the title and the Latics finish runners-up.

Match preview

Sunderland are yet to win this month after back-to-back goalless draws at home against Preston North End and Blackpool were followed by a 2-1 defeat away against Swansea City last weekend.

Jack Clarke scored his fourth goal of the campaign six minutes after half time, but earlier strikes from Oli Cooper and Harry Darling were enough to help the Swans claim maximum points in South Wales.

Tony Mowbray's men have slipped out of the top half of the table and down to 13th place, six points above the relegation zone and two points behind Saturday's opponents Wigan in ninth.

Sunderland's recent struggles in front of goal have coincided with the absence of strikers Ross Stewart and Ellis Simms - who have scored eight of their 17 goals between them so far this season - and with both players unlikely to return from injury any time soon, Mowbray is forced to rely on others to fill the void and provide a threat in the final third.

The Black Cats head into Saturday's contest having won five of their last seven league games against Wigan, including their three meetings across all competitions last season.

After successive league defeats against Hull City and Cardiff City, Wigan returned to winning ways when they secured a slender 1-0 home victory against Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday night.

Nathan Broadhead - who was on loan at Sunderland last season - scored the only goal of the game just after the hour mark to help the Latics win for the first time this season at the DW Stadium.

Despite speculation surrounding his future amid interest from managerless West Bromwich Albion, Wigan boss Leam Richardson insists that he is focused on his current job, with the Latics seeking to climb into the playoff positions.

Indeed, a victory away at Sunderland could see Wigan climb to as high as fourth in the table, and as they boast the joint-best away record in the Championship so far this term - claiming 13 points from six games on the road - Richardson and co will be confident of success this weekend.

Sunderland Championship form:

L

W

D

D

D

L

Wigan Athletic Championship form:

W

L

W

L

L

W

Team News

With Sunderland duo Stewart and Simms ruled out with respective thigh and toe injuries, Elliot Embleton and Alex Pritchard could continue to lead the line, while centre-back Daniel Ballard remains out with a broken foot.

Mowbray may decide to revert to a three-man defence, with Dennis Cirkin recalled at centre-back to play alongside Luke O'Nien and Danny Batth.

Manchester United loanee Amad Diallo has started only once since joining the Black Cats in the summer, but the winger could be handed an opportunity in the first XI this weekend.

As for Wigan, Callum Lang and Gwion Edwards both remain on the treatment table as they continue to recover from respective ankle and Achilles injuries.

Richardson is unlikely to make too many changes, if any, to the side that beat Blackburn in midweek, although Charlie Wyke's minutes are set to be managed carefully - the former Sunderland striker has started the last two matches for the Latics since recovering from a cardiac arrest last year.

Sunderland possible starting lineup:

Patterson; O'Nien, Batth, Cirkin; Gooch, Neil, Evans, Clarke; Diallo, Embleton, Pritchard

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:

Amos; Kerr, Whatmough, Tilt; Darikwa, Power, Naylor, McClean; Broadhead, Keane; Magennis

We say: Sunderland 1-1 Wigan Athletic

A closely-fought contest between two evenly-matched sides is set to take place this weekend, with Sunderland looking to end a poor run of form in front of over 35,000 fans at the Stadium of Light.

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