Match Preview

Wigan V Sunderland Preview

|
Image for Wigan V Sunderland Preview

Steve Bruce returns back to his old club but comes back with his brand new Sunderland squad. With nine new signings in the summer he will be looking for a complete change of fortune on his travels this season.

Sunderland will be hopeful of back to back wins after we beat Man City before the international break. Bruce has made it clear he will not accept defeat this weekend and wants all of his new players to adapt a new mentality in order to beat this curse away from home.

Wigan had a shocking start to the season, conceding 10 goals in only two games. They managed to beat Spurs away and this allows them to enter this game with new optimism for the season.

Either way it is a big game for both clubs and one that will be crucial for Sunderland before they face Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd in the league next.

Vital Quotes: Steve Bruce

Steve Bruce said about his lads trip to former club Wigan:

‘Our record there is awful, but then again, I would never under-estimate Wigan.

‘It’s a difficult place for everyone to go to, and I just hope we can go and perform.

‘If we are going to improve, that’s what we have got to do, it’s that away form. At home we have produced, over the last 12 months, some great performances, but away from home we have let ourselves down.’

Wigan Team News:

Chris Kirkland and Charles N’Zogbia will return back to the team this weekend.

Moses is a doubt with an ankle injury.

Player to watch: N’Zogbia

After turning down Birmingham and leaving the door open for a move to Sunderland he will now look likely to line up against his preferred team. He can cause a lot of problems in midfield, and we will need to make sure he does not turn in a decent game to win over his doubtful fans at the DW Stadium this weekend.

Sunderland Team News:

John Mensah returns to the first team and has came back at a good time after Turner has been ruled out for 3 weeks with an ankle injury.

Andy Reid should also make his long awaited come back from injury and get a place on the bench.

And last but not least, Asamoah Gyan, who cost £13m and could be rated 50/50 to start the game. With hardly any training and a long flight back from Ghana it will be a risk to start the all singing, all dancing forward against Wigan.

Player to watch: Darren Bent

I know we put this player down every week almost but he deserves it after his goal for England on Tuesday.

He has so far scored 29 goals in 44 games for SAFC and that is an amazing record for a team that struggled last season to get any points for 14 games.

Now he has a new strike partner in Asamoah Gyan he will be looking to add to his confidence after a great week and make it 30 in a red and white shirt!

Match Facts & Stats

It is 40 games since Wigan had back-to-back league wins – but that came when they beat Middlesbrough and Sunderland in August 2007.

If Darren Bent scores tomorrow he will have made it 30 goals in only 45 Sunderland appearances.

Ref Watch:

Referee: Peter Walton

Assistant referees: Ron Ganfield & Andy Newbold

Fourth official: Mark Halsey

Match Prediction:

Wigan 0 – 2 Sunderland

For some reason I just feel as though this has to be the game we win away from home. The club is on a high after beating Man City, Bent, Henderson and Welbeck all served their Countries with great displays, and we have just signed Gyan for £13m.

Surely it is our time for an away victory!

Next Fixtures: Arsenal (H)

Arsenal at home next weekend


Vital Sunderland is back, so why not join up and join in?

It’s easy to register , simply click the link and enjoy getting involved (you can even win prizes!)

Message Board We also need your help in the forum, so join up and kick off the debate, or if you have a forum at the moment, why not enquire about merging with Vital and get free hosting + an income? To visit the message board, click here. Get involved This website is your website and we are looking for people to help run the site. Do you go to most of the games and have an opinion? Why not write a match report? Perhaps you are a budding journalist or even just someone who is very opinionated? Well why not join our team? If this interests you please contact Vital Sunderland.

Share this article

Editor

6 comments

  • Teddy_KGB says:

    Wigan seem to be just as schizophrenic this season as they were last season. No telling how they’ll play.

  • worbo says:

    We’ll play well and make it three wins on the bounce, Latics 1-0 Sunderlad

  • GazJohnson says:

    Thats what you think Worbster!

  • Tucky says:

    Wigan weak at home, poor attendance and a team of reserves thanks to chairmans greed and lack of investment alongside the fact the players don’t respect the manager. Sunderland a high from beating billionaires Man city, Darren Bent on Fire and pumped along with Gyan wanting to live up to his price tag ….how can SAFC not win?

  • DubaiSpur says:

    Fact-they didn’t . I’ve learned never to underestimate Wigan. Neither should you. But Gyan looks a really good buy, if a tad expensive.

  • johnney handsome says:

    you need to come with a better team than that to beat wigan.i would only swap one wigan player for a sunderland player.that would be figeroa for richardson

Leave a Reply to Tucky Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *