It was easy to see why Steve Bruce's men had gone for nine games without a victory, a run that had included eight defeats, as the Latics found themselves under little threat.
The Black Cats' bad run of injuries also continued as as three further players were added to that list during this game.
The Latics had travelled to the North East with the usual game plan to play football and all was well as Momo Diame scored with a superb strike just past the hour mark.
However it was all to go down hill from this point. Sunderland equalised with a questionable off-side header as the tide took a strong turn against the men in black.
The bad habits of old came back to haunt the Latics as the defence decided to take leave of their senses and conceed a further three goal to put the game to bed.
Why Ronnie Stam came on to replace Emmerson Boyce nobody but Martinez knows. The Dutchman was embarassing as he attempted to defend against a winger that Boyce had had in his pocket.
The goals conceeded were embarassing and professional footballers should not collapse like that. Things could easily have been much worse had Sunderland, due to forced injuries, not had two wingers up front.
At four-one down, the travelling support knew the game was up and with many heading for the exits, Franco Di Santo scrambled home Victor Moses' cross to score his first goal for the club.
The Argentine striker seemed as suprised that he had scored as the away following.
4-2 was the final score and although the Latics played better than that over the total 90 minutes, the bad habits of old came back to haunt supporters who are know fearing the worst.
After the fight and passion shown at Blackpool just one week ago, the question has to be asked if some of these players really want to stay in the Premier League.
The mercurial Charles N'Zogbia was absent without leave on the pitch whilst Tom Cleverley was once again quiet on the other flank. Hugo Rodallega continued from his pre-Blackpool form as he let the centre halves have an easy ride.
Of the crop, Watson, McCarthy, Diame, Boyce and Al-Habsi can leave with their heads high, the rest need to think if they seriously want to retain the club's Premier League status.
£28 of good money was spent on that ticket, and half of the team were having a walk in the Easter sunshine. Very disappointing, partiuclarly given the Blackpool display just 7 days ago.
Everton are the visitors to the DW Stadium next week as Martinez and his men seek to add the further six points needed for survival to the present tally of 34.
Here is the reaction of the two managers.
Roberto Martinez
Before the game we were focused and determined on producing a strong performance, and I thought we did that in the first-half," said the Gaffer.
We were keeping Sunderland quiet, slowly getting into good positions, showing bravery on the ball and creating problems for their defence.
The first-goal is normally the turning point in a game but that wasn't the case, and in a crazy few minutes we were heavily punished.
For their equalising goal the free-kick in the build-up was very soft, but they made the most of the follow-up.
The referee then awarded them a penalty for what seemed to be a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge, a decision I could not understand. So in a very short space of time we go from holding a lead to trying to fight back from two goals down.
Even then though I believe we showed good attitude to try and pull back the goals we needed. The score-line reflects a crazy period in the game and not the hard work we put in that got us into the lead.
So a real disappointment but there's nothing we can do about that now. Instead we must focus on the final four games and twelve points to fight for.
Eric Black [Sunderland assistant manager]
It was a [massive win]. There was obviously a sense of relief around the stadium, which was evident.
It was a fabulous win, unfortunately a long time coming. I think all credit should go to the players under extremely difficult circumstances, we had to change the team three times. We went a goal down and it took a bit of resolve to come back and they [the players] deserve an enormous amount of credit for it.
It was early enough in the game, obviously it’s a lot more difficult if it happens in the last five or ten minutes, then you get a little bit desperate. I still think we had enough to come back and at least get attempts on goal which is obviously what you try to do. It’s difficult losing a goal like we did but again the response was fantastic.
The table
| Home | Away | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD | ||||
| 1 | Manchester United | 34 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 28 | 23 | 21 | 10 | 3 | 71 | 32 | 73 | +39 | ||||
| 2 | Chelsea | 34 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 35 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 29 | 17 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 64 | 27 | 67 | +37 | ||||
| 3 | Arsenal | 33 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 31 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 35 | 21 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 66 | 34 | 64 | +32 | ||||
| 4 | Manchester City | 32 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 28 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 22 | 19 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 50 | 30 | 56 | +20 | ||||
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 33 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 27 | 17 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 22 | 24 | 14 | 13 | 6 | 49 | 41 | 55 | +8 | ||||
| 6 | Liverpool | 34 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 34 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 51 | 39 | 52 | +12 | ||||
| 7 | Everton | 34 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 28 | 22 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 19 | 20 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 47 | 42 | 47 | +5 | ||||
| 8 | Bolton Wanderers | 32 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 31 | 19 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 15 | 24 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 46 | 43 | 43 | +3 | ||||
| 9 | Newcastle United | 34 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 36 | 23 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 25 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 49 | 48 | 41 | +1 | ||||
| 10 | Sunderland | 34 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 24 | 21 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 15 | 28 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 39 | 49 | 41 | -10 | ||||
| 11 | Aston Villa | 34 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 24 | 18 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 19 | 37 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 43 | 55 | 41 | -12 | ||||
| 12 | West Bromwich Albion | 34 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 27 | 29 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 22 | 35 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 49 | 64 | 40 | -15 | ||||
| 13 | Fulham | 33 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 23 | 16 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 20 | 8 | 15 | 10 | 37 | 36 | 39 | +1 | ||||
| 14 | Stoke City | 33 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 25 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 11 | 6 | 16 | 40 | 43 | 39 | -3 | ||||
| 15 | Birmingham City | 34 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 18 | 19 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 32 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 34 | 51 | 38 | -17 | ||||
| 16 | Blackburn Rovers | 33 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 20 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 20 | 40 | 9 | 8 | 16 | 40 | 54 | 35 | -14 | ||||
| 17 | Blackpool | 34 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 26 | 34 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 22 | 36 | 9 | 7 | 18 | 48 | 70 | 34 | -22 | ||||
| 18 | Wigan Athletic | 34 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 18 | 31 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 16 | 26 | 7 | 13 | 14 | 34 | 57 | 34 | -23 | ||||
| 19 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 33 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 25 | 26 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 12 | 31 | 9 | 6 | 18 | 37 | 57 | 33 | -20 | ||||
| 20 | West Ham United | 34 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 23 | 27 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 34 | 7 | 11 | 16 | 39 | 61 | 32 | -22 | ||||
Next game
Next up for the Latics is the visit of Everton to the DW Stadium. The Toffees are presently seventh in the table with a European finish not beyond them. It will be another tough game for the Latics but if the players are hungry, there will be enough in Blue and White to take the points. the question is if?
