Sunderland 2-0 Wigan

Dickson Etuhu and Daryl Murphy secured Sunderland's fourth consecutive home win in a Premiership relegation battle at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats are slowly edging their way out of the relegation zone.

Within two minutes Roy O'Donovan, making his first start at the Stadium of Light, headed Murphy's cross from the left narrowly over Chris Kirkland's cross-bar.

The match was in desperate need of a goal and the home side obliged when an Etuhu, playing his first game following Nigeria's elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations, nodded Whitehead's cross past Kirkland for his first Sunderland goal.

Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon could only parry Marlon King's fierce shot and Michael Brown's follow-up was scrambled off the line by Dean Whitehead in the first real effort of the second half.

The result was secured when Murphy made them pay when he rifled a 25-yard strike in off the bar.

Teams

Sunderland: Gordon, Bardsley, Nosworthy, Evans, Collins, O'Donovan (Prica 26), Etuhu (Leadbitter 84), Whitehead, Murphy, Jones, Chopra (Reid 74). Subs Not Used: Fulop, McShane.

Goals: Etuhu 42, Murphy 75.

Wigan: Kirkland, Melchiot (Koumas 46), Boyce, Scharner, Kilbane, Valencia, Palacios, Brown, Taylor (Olembe 56), Heskey (Bent 68), King. Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Granqvist.

Booked: Valencia.