The FOUR key selection dilemmas Alex Neil is facing ahead of Wigan Athletic clash in League One

Indeed, it feels like a long time since Lee Johnson’s Black Cats defeated the Latics at the Stadium of Light on the opening day of the season.

After a decent first half of the season, Sunderland have imploded with Johnson relieved of his duties towards the back end of January.

Alex Neil was picked as the man to replace Johnson on Wearside but the club’s new head coach is yet to win a game.

That means that Sunderland have won just one in 10 in a record spanning both Johnson and Neil.

Ahead of Sunderland’s visit to Wigan, however, we take a look at the key selection dilemmas Neil is facing with the Latics occupying one of the two automatic promotion spots in League One.

Jermain Defoe

Jermain Defoe was Sunderland’s big-name marquee signing in January with the 39-year-old striker returning to the club in the hope that he could score the goals to fire the Wearsiders to promotion.

but it hasn’t worked out so far and until the game against Burton, Defoe had been limited to appearances from the bench.

One key dilemma for Neil will be whether or not to start Defoe in consecutive league games alongside the division’s top-scorer Ross Stewart.

Defoe struggled to get into the game against Burton Albion but didn’t have much created for him and is said to be lacking match fitness by Sunderland’s head coach.

Patrick Roberts

And on the point of Sunderland’s lack of creativity, Neil faces a dilemma regarding attacking midfielder Patrick Roberts.

The former Middlesbrough and Manchester City man arrived during January with many believing the club had pulled off a coup to capture his signature.

However, Roberts has been used sparingly by Neil so far with the Scot preferring the likes of Leon Dajaku, Jack Clarke and Alex Pritchard over him in recent games.

Indeed, Roberts remained on the bench as Sunderland rescued a late point against Burton last Tuesday.

But with Neil without a win so far in his short Sunderland tenure, he may be tempted to roll the dice and select Roberts against Wigan.

Thorben Hoffmann vs Anthony Patterson

Neil also faces a headache in goal.

The first choice for the season Thorben Hoffmann missed some games after contracting an illness.

The German had to be sent for tests meaning Anthony Patterson was retained after his loan at Notts County had finished due to second choice Lee Burge suffering heart complications.

Patterson has started every game since Neil came to the club and is an accomplished shot-stopper but appears to lack strength and confidence, especially from set-pieces.

With Wigan such a big game for Sunderland, Neil could well be tempted to restore Hoffmann, who does possess slightly more experience.

Callum Doyle

Calum Doyle needs a rest. The Manchester City loanee was only 17 when Sunderland signed him in the summer and has played virtually every game since.

Neil, though, is without another left-footed centre half to replace Doyle with after Tom Flanagan’s departure in January.

Danny Batth and Arbenit Xhemajli could both be in line to replace the teenager.

However, both defenders are returning from injuries and have only been fit for the bench in recent fixtures.

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