Dennis Cirkin returned to Sunderland's starting XI, making his return after more than a month out of action through injury. Cirkin had missed the Black Cats' last five games due to a hamstring problem he suffered in the defeat at Middlesbrough in early September.
The defender, who played 90 minutes for the U21s on Monday night, came back into the side in place of skipper Corry Evans, who missed out through suspension after accumulating his fifth yellow card of the season in last weekend's defeat at Swansea City. That was the only change made by boss Tony Mowbray to the side that began in South Wales.
Cirkin's inclusion suggested a switch to a back three, with Luke O'Nien, Danny Batth, and Cirkin as the central defensive trio, with Aji Alese at left wingback and Lynden Gooch on the right. Jack Clarke, who scored Sunderland's consolation goal at Swansea, was expected to start on the left side of a front three.
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Wigan boss Leam Richardson named the same side that began his side's midweek home win against Blackburn Rovers. That starting XI included four ex-Sunderland men - Max Power, Charlie Wyke, James McClean, and last season's loanee from Everton Nathan Broadhead, who helped the Black Cats win promotion from League One.
There was another former Sunderland man on the bench in striker Ashley Fletcher, who spent the second half of the 2017-18 campaign on loan with the Wearsiders in the Championship. Fletcher is currently on loan at Wigan from Watford.
You can follow the game in our live blog here, with all the latest as it happens plus the post-match reaction and analysis.
Today's teams
Sunderland: Patterson, O'Nien, Batth, Cirkin, Gooch, Embleton, Neil, Alese, Roberts, Pritchard, Clarke
Subs: Bass, Amad, Wright, Matete, Bennette, Dajaku, Michut
Wigan: Amos, Kerr, Whatmough, Tilt, Darikwa, Power, Naylor, McClean, Broadhead, Wyke, Keane
Subs: Jones, Cousins, Shinnie, Bennett, Fletcher, Magennis, Aasgaard
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