New boys poised for Sunderland bows

New signings Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney could be handed Sunderland debuts at Wigan tomorrow.

Ferdinand has shaken off the hamstring problem with which he arrived from West Ham, while McCartney is in line for a second bow for the club after returning from Upton Park.

Teemu Tainio could make the squad after recovering from a thigh injury, but skipper Dean Whitehead remains a doubt with a sore hip and Carlos Edwards is unlikely to figure after playing twice for Trinidad and Tobago during the international break.

Striker Michael Chopra is still suspended.

Provisional squad: Gordon, Ward, Chimbonda, Ferdinand, Nosworthy, Collins, McCartney, Bardsley, Higginbotham, Diouf, Leadbitter, Miller, Reid, Richardson, Malbranque, Tainio, Cisse, Murphy, Healy, Stokes.