Match Preview: Wigan Athletic v Sunderland - League One’s top two clash for a place in last 16!

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Tuesday 21st September 2021

(L1) Wigan Athletic v Sunderland (L1)

Carabao Cup

Third Round

DW Stadium

Kick-Off: 19:45

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Tickets & Match Coverage

Tickets: Ticket information for tonight’s tie can be found here. Tickets are now available online via SAFC here.

TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is not available. Further information can be found here.

Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online)

Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of the game on the Roker Report Twitter feed (@RokerReport) and check out the player ratings after the full-time whistle at www.RokerReport.com!

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The build-up...

Sunderland haven’t won at the DW Stadium since January 2013, when Martin O’Neill and Roberto Martinez were in the dugouts to compete in a Premier League fixture. We ran out 3-2 winners that day despite going behind in the opening 5 minutes.

In major cup competitions it’s only the second time the two clubs have met after an FA Cup third round tie back in 2008 when Steve Bruce got one over on his x-Manchester United colleague Roy Keane in a 3-0 win for the Latics.

Tonight is a strange one, the two sides meet for a place in the last 16 of the Carabao Cup at a time when a cup-run is way down on the priority list, as Sunderland sit behind league leaders Wigan Athletic going into the fixture.

Expect much squad rotation from both sides, although Lee Johnson will no doubt be expecting a reaction following the loss of a two-goal lead at the weekend at Fleetwood.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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League One Form...

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The betting...

With both sides looking strong in the early part of the season, the bookies are siding with the home side tonight at 5/4, with a victory for Sunderland at 2/1 and the draw 11/5.

In terms of a final score, a 1-1 draw is favourite at 5/1, closely followed by a 1-0 home victory at 13/2, just ahead of a 1-0 win for the Lads at 17/2.

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Head to head... at Wigan Athletic

(In all competitions)

Sunderland wins: 3

Draws: 4

Wigan Athletic wins: 4

Sunderland goals: 13

Wigan Athletic goals: 14

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Last time we met... at the DW Stadium

Tuesday 13th April 2021

Sky Bet League One

Wigan Athletic 2-1 Sunderland

(Keane 42’, Lang 58’ - Wyke 32’)

Sunderland: Burge, O’Nien, Sanderson, Wright, Hume (Leadbitter), Diamond (McFadzean), Power (Stewart), Scowen, Jones (Gooch), McGeady, Wyke Substitutes not used: Matthews, Winchester, O’Brien

Wigan Athletic: Jones, Darikwa, Robinson, Ojo, Tilt, Johnston, Lang, Evans, Dodoo (Proctor), Keane (Aasgaard), Solomon-Otabor (Whelan) Substitutes not used: Evans, Long, Gardner, Clough

Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images

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Played for both...

Titus Bramble

After making his breakthrough at Ipswich Town in 1998, Bramble would eventually join Bobby Robson’s Newcastle United in 2002 for £6million.

Five years and over one hundred appearances later, Steve Bruce would take Bramble on a free transfer to Wigan Athletic before leaving for Sunderland and taking Bramble to Wearside from Wigan in a £1million move in 2010. He would retire after three years and fifty appearances for the Lads.

Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images

Pascal Chimbonda

A bargain for Wigan in 2005 at £500,000 from Bastia in France, leaving a year later to Spurs for £4.5million. Roy Keane signed him for Sunderland in 2009 for somewhere in the region of £3million but only lasted a year before going back to Spurs.

Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

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