Don’t blame reshuffle for Wigan loss, insists boss

THE late defensive reshuffle caused by Conor McLaughlin’s injury in the warm-up is no excuse for Sunderland’s 2-1 defeat at Wigan, insists boss Lee Johnson.

McLaughlin was due to start the game but at the last minute Bailey Wright had to be promoted from the bench, with Luke O’Nien switching to right-back.

Aussie defender Wright was thrown in at the deep end, his first game back after two months on the sidelines with a torn calf muscle.

Sunderland went ahead through Charlie Wyke on the halfhour but conceded two goals from corners – Will Keane equalising before half-time before Callum Lang scored the winner on the hour.

Asked whether the disruption played a part, Johnson said: “In an ideal world Bailey would have had a couple of 90 minutes for the under-23s but it wasn’t just that, there were two or three on the pitch who weren’t quite right.

“Dion Sanderson’s back was an issue and has been an issue all week and we are a little bit light in that area.

“At the same time, I don’t think that’s any excuse because it wasn’t really the central defensive part which cost us.”

McLaughlin underwent hernia surgery in January and has also had a painkilling injection to allow him to play on but Sunderland will now have to wait to find out if he will be sidelined again.

Johnson added: “He had a hernia problem on one side and an injection in that and that has left a weakness on the other side.

“I don’t know whether it will settle down or whether Conor will have to go again but it was pretty frustrating because there were no warning signs – as soon as he started warming up he just said ‘I can’t run’.”