How it played out as Sunderland fall to disappointing defeat in Lee Johnson's first game at the helm

It leaves Johnson’s side four points adrift of the play-offs on an afternoon when the task ahead for the new appointment was laid bare.

The Black Cats again dominated possession and territory throughout the contest, but suffered from lack of conviction and confidence in their forward play.

Wigan had come into the contest with their future off the field still very much uncertain, but an early goal from Kyle Joseph gave them something to defend and they did so with impressive discipline.

Johnson had caught the eye with an attacking selection, but the increased presence in the final third did not yield immediate results.

His confirmation as the club’s new Head Coach had arrived just hours before kick off, but the former Bristol City boss had rejected the chance to watch from the stand.

With Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman watching on from the stands, Johnson headed straight to the dugout in search of Sunderland’s first win in seven games all competitions.

His first selection was pointed.

The Black Cats moved to a flat back four for the first time in 2020, with Will Grigg leading the line and Aiden McGeady immediately installed on the left flank.

The early passages of the game were encouraging.

Sunderland moved the ball sharply and it was notable from the off that Josh Scowen and Max Power were being urged to get forward in support of Grigg wherever possible.

A couple of dangerous openings down both flanks came to nothing, while a flurry of set pieces also failed to yield a clear cut chance.

Wigan looked uncertain, but grew into the contest and when the Black Cats made an error in possession, they were ruthlessly punished.

Denver Hume dithered in possession as a flat pass was fired into him, and the visitors quickly attacked.

Youngster Kyle Joseph held off the challenge of Bailey Wright far too easily in the box, firing an emphatic effort past Lee Burge with a confidence that belied his inexperience.

Sunderland should have levelled shortly afterwards; Grant Leadbitter carving open the defence with a wonderful pass into the box. McGeady had anticipated the ball and had space in the box, but snatched at his chance and fired it into the side-netting.

That rather summed up the Black Cats in the first half, who enjoyed plenty of territory and possession, but were visibly lacking confidence when it came to the final third.

It was Scowen who was the first to test Jamie Jones in the Wigan goal, his shot from the edge of the area turned round the post just after half an hour. Sunderland were beginning to build some pressure at that point, but saw their rhythm disrupted as Hume pulled up off the ball with an injury.

Wigan regrouped, though they were fortunate that when Chris Maguire burst into the box, he opted to shoot rather than play a ball square to the team-mates that were waiting.

Maguire had struggled from the right, this one of a number of moments when the frontline failed to make the most of a promising opening.

The visitors were happy to defend in numbers, and to get the ball forward quickly when they did have it.

Joseph was leading the line with an impressive work-rate, and they felt they should have had a penalty on the stroke of half-time.

McGeady gifted possession away cheaply in his own half, and Joseph quickly released Naismith in the box. The Scot went down under pressure from Tom Flanagan, and was left irate as the referee waved play on.

Johnson resisted the urge to make changes at the break, and the second half began with Sunderland struggling to impose themselves.

Wigan were comfortable, defending in numbers and with their front players holding the ball up well when they were able to win it back.

It took the hosts a while to find any momentum but slowly they began to build a sustained spell of possession.

Jones was forced into a superb stop on the hour mark, after McLaughlin and Power combined well down the right. The latter played a good cross into the centre of the box, Scowen’s header bouncing up towards the top corner when the Wigan goalkeeper intervened well.

The pressure was beginning to mount, McGeady forcing another good stop from Jones as he took aim from outside the box. Johnson reshuffled his pack, bringing in Elliot Embleton and Danny Graham.

A tiring Wigan side were hurt by the loss of Naismith, who had been a superb focal point before suffering an injury that he couldn’t run off early in the second half.

Sunderland, though, continued to struggle to carve out real openings.

Jack Diamond was Johnson’s final throw of the dice, but Jones was rarely tested as the contest wound down.

Sunderland laboured to create chances as the clock wound down, the visitors managing five minutes of stoppage time with relative ease.

Johnson watched on from the technical area with a swift understanding of the work to be done in the weeks and months ahead.

Sunderland XI: Burge; McLaughlin, Wright, Flanagan, Hume (McFadzean, 31); Leadbitter, Power (Embleton, 67), Scowen; Maguire, McGeady (Diamond, 76), Grigg (Graham, 67)

Subs: Matthews, Sanderson, Dobson

Wigan Athletic XI: Jones; James, Tilt, Long, Pearce; Gardner (Robinson, 90), Evans; Naismith (Crankshaw, 63), Perry (Merries, 84), Aasgard; Joseph

Subs: Evans, Obi, Merrie, Jolley, Smith

Bookings:

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