By Alan G
March 10 2006

Latics are set to name an unchanged side from the one that lost unluckily to Man Utd in what may prove to be a tough challenge at the stadium of light.

Managerless teams have been known to start to pick up points and this, coupled with the fact that Sunderland are due a home victory (this season’s home victory total = 0), means this is a potential banana skin for Latics.

 

John Filan will continue in goal as Mike Pollitt is still sidelined with the hamstring injury he picked up in the League Cup final.

Sunderland defender Steve Caldwell returns from suspension and will take over the captain's armband from Gary Breen, who is himself now banned.

Caretaker boss Kevin Ball hopes to have strikers Andy Gray and Chris Brown available for his first game in charge.

Sunderland (from): Davis, J. Murphy, Nosworthy, McCartney, Caldwell, D. Collins, Hoyte, Bassila, Whitehead, Lawrence, Leadbitter, Delap, Arca, Miller, Kyle, Elliott, Stead, Le Tallec, D. Murphy, Gray, Brown.

Latics (from): Filan, Chimbonda, De Zeeuw, Scharner, Baines, Teale, Bullard, Kavanagh, McCulloch, Camara, Roberts, Ziegler, Walsh, Jackson, Thompson, Johansson, Francis, Henchoz.

Referee: Mike Riley (Leeds)

Latics striker Jason Roberts:
"It was always going to be a tough game, but with them changing managers it is going to be even tougher because players are going to want to impress.

"They could get a fresh bit of impetus like Newcastle have since Graeme Souness left.

"Anyone who thinks we are going to go out there and find it easy is going to be mistaken. We are in for a tough game."

Sunderland caretaker manager Kevin Ball:
"I'll just try to take everything in my stride, take one day at a time - I think that's the way to be.

"If you were to sit down and analyse too quickly what's gone on, maybe your head would become a shed.

"But I'll just take everything in my stride and enjoy it. What's the point of me doing it if I'm not going to enjoy it?"