Latics Player this week has exclusive interviews with Chairman Dave Whelan, who gives us an update on the Boys & Girls Club as well as his thoughts on the season so far. Jordi Gomez talks us through the art of penalty taking and the momentum he hopes the team can take into the game after the midweek Capital One Cup victory at West Ham United. As always, Roberto Martinez previews the game in his pre-match press conference and there’s all the fall-out from Tuesday night’s cup tie.
Our regular commentary team of Paul Chialton and Latics legend Neill Rimmer will be in the Stadium of Light press box from 2.00pm to bring all the team news and pre-match build up ahead of kick off. Then, from 3.00pm you can listen to the full match live and uninterrupted on Latics Player. If you’re not already a Latics Player subscriber, you can join today by [clicking here].
Tickets for the game will be available until 4.00pm on Friday 28 September from the DW Stadium Ticket Office. Fans can also purchase tickets on the day of the game at the Stadium of Light.
After their impressive 4-1 victory over West Ham United in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday night, Latics will be hoping to carry that form over into the league, having lost their last two fixtures against Manchester United and Fulham respectively.
The Stadium of Light has been a significant venue for Wigan Athletic in recent years, ending their winless run of 2010/11 there back in November courtesy of Franco Di Santo’s late winner, which subsequently lost former Latics boss Steve Bruce his job on Wearside.
The Argentine striker scored his first goal for the Club away to Sunderland back in April 2011, as did Ben Watson, Mohamed Diame and Charles N’Zogbia in previous encounters.
A result for Roberto Martinez’s men would put them in a better position than at the same stage of last season.
As for Sunderland, they too head into the game on the back of cup success after dispatching of MK Dons on Tuesday but are incredibly without a league win since March, a 3-1 result over QPR at home.
Martin O’Neill’s side currently occupy twelfth spot in the Barclays Premier League on the same number of points as Wigan Athletic having drawn their one home match this season against Liverpool.
Roberto Martinez will be without defender Antolin Alcaraz once again who is still nursing a groin injury picked up whilst on international duty with Paraguay.
Franco Di Santo has returned to training with the rest of the squad this week in his bid to overcome a calf injury suffered against Manchester United, and will be assessed before the match.
Adam Johnson (thigh) remains a doubt for Martin O’Neill’s team, whereas Carlos Cuellar and Sebastian Larsson could feature after missing the midweek cup fixture against MK Dons.
Former Wigan Athletic midfielder Lee Cattermole begins the first of a three-match suspension after receiving a straight red card on Tuesday night.