Dennis Cirkin marked his return to action with his first Sunderland goal as the Black Cats came from behind to beat Wigan Athletic at the Stadium of Light. The Wearsiders trailed to Charlie Wyke's strike just before half-time, with the striker scoring against his former club.
But in the second period Sunderland were by far the better side and deservedly turned things round. First Elliot Embleton scored less than ten minutes after the restart to level things up, and then Cirkin headed home with just under 20 minutes remaining.
The victory ended Sunderland's four-game winless streak, and lifted Tony Mowbray's men to ninth place in the Championship table. With skipper Corry Evans missing out through suspension after accumulating five yellow cards, Mowbray was forced into one change to the side that started at Swansea City last weekend.
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Cirkin replaced Evans, and in the process made his comeback from the hamstring injury that meant he had missed the last five games. Cirkin's inclusion meant a change of shape, with Sunderland switching to a back three with Cirkin on the left side of that trio and Aji Alese playing left wingback.
Wigan boss Leam Richardson named an unchanged starting XI, sticking with the same players that began the midweek home win against Blackburn Rovers. His starting XI included four ex-Sunderland men in Max Power, Charlie Wyke, James McClean, and Nathan Broadhead, with a fifth - Ashley Fletcher - on the bench.
Sunderland made a positive start, putting Wigan on the back foot from the off. Patrick Roberts cut inside from the right flank, beating two men in the process, but his low shot flew wide of the far post.
And then Alex Pritchard's clever lay-off to Embleton on the edge of the box ended with the midfielder taking a weak shot which was straight at keeper Ben Amos. The game soon became bogged down with a series of stoppages for injuries, while Wigan took an eternity at every throw-in, ensuring every time they dried the ball with the towels they had brought with them and had left around the perimeter of the pitch.
Sunderland had the ball in the back of the net just after the half-hour when Pritchard played in Roberts on the edge of the box and he produced a smart finish, but the linesman's flag was raised against him for offside. Roberts again caused problems when he cut in from the right and this time he was brought down but referee Keith Stroud played a good advantage as the loose ball broke to Pritchard, he fed it to Jack Clarke, but he could only send his shot wide of the left-hand post.
Roberts then sent a low shot across the face of goal from inside the area on the right. But Wigan then hit Sunderland on the break and took the lead.
The ball was played to McClean on the left and his low cross was missed by everyone in the middle but found its way to Wyke at the far post and he made no mistake from eight yards out. Sunderland made a change at half-time, sending on Amad in place of Lynden Gooch and switching to a back four, with Luke O'Nien moving to right-back, Alese to partner Danny Batth in central defence, and with Cirkin at left-back.
And the move paid off almost immediately as Sunderland levelled within 10 minutes of the restart. The ball was played to Cirkin on the left and his low cross found Embleton six yards out, and he fired home.
At the other end, McClean saw a free-kick clawed away by Anthony Patterson. But Sunderland began putting Wigan under heavy pressure, with balls into the penalty area causing havoc.
Jack Clarke and Roberts both had chances, but the best opportunity fell to Dan Neil when he was played in behind the defence in the right-hand channel, but when he tried to skip past Amos he left the ball behind and the grateful keeper grabbed it. Eventually, Sunderland's pressure told and they took the lead in the 72nd minute.
Pritchard delivered a brilliant cross from the right which was met by Cirkin running in at the far post, and he buried the header from close range. Wigan had a chance to level five minutes from time when McClean's corner from the right was headed over by Will Keane at the near post.
And Sunderland had to throw bodies in the way to preserve their lead when Wigan threatened from a goalmouth scramble, but they held out to secure the win.
How they lined up
Sunderland: Patterson, O'Nien, Batth, Cirkin, Gooch (Amad 46), Embleton (Wright 90+1), Neil, Alese, Roberts, Pritchard, Clarke. Subs not used: Bass, Matete, Bennette, Dajaku, Michut
Booked: Embleton, Pritchard, Patterson
Wigan: Amos, Kerr, Whatmough, Tilt- (Aasgaard 77), Darikwa, Power, Naylor (Shinnie 81), McClean, Broadhead (Fletcher 81), Wyke (Magennis 68), Keane. Subs not used: Jones, Cousins, Bennett
Booked: Tilt, Keane
Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire)
Attendance: 37,016
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