Sunderland manager sensed fear in Wigan Athletic side

Latics dropped to the bottom of the Championship after Sunderland cruised to a 4-1 victory.

Will Keane equalised Ellis Simms' opener, but second-half goals from Ross Stewart (penalty) Patrick Roberts and Amad Diallo secured the points for the Black Cats.

It was a second 4-1 defeat against north east opposition in the space of three days for Kolo Toure's men, following the Boxing Day setback at Middlesbrough.

And Mowbray says he sensed a difference in the Latics camp from what he saw at the Riverside.

"I was really frustrated at half time," he said. "I told them that they should have been 3-1 or 4-1 up. We let them off the hook.

"I felt as if they were wary of us and our talent, they didn't commit too many players to the press or with the energy that I'd seen them play with against Middlesbrough.

"I thought they were a dangerous team but it felt as if they were on the back foot.

"I think that's a lack of experience, you have to smell your opportunity, over-commit and get people in the box.

"They did carry a threat towards the end of the half and you have to respect that, and until we got the third and fourth goal it was always in the balance."

Latics have a swift opportunity to bounce back with the visit of fourth-bottom Hull City on Monday.