'Wigan Athletic shouldn't be in League One', says Max Power ahead of Sunderland clash

The 27-year-old won the League One title twice during his three-year stay at Wigan between 2015-18, before moving to the north east.

Power is now captain of the Black Cats, who are desperate to win promotion back to the second tier at the third attempt.

Three points this weekend could lift them back into the play-off places, but it would also increase the gloom on his former employers.

And Power says he’s been left in as much disbelief as anyone at the Latics demise.

“It’s a shame what has happened to them in the past few months,” he acknowledged.

“They shouldn’t be in this division and it’s no fault of the players – obviously off-field issues hampered them last season.

“But for me, I’m a Sunderland player, I’ve got good memories at Wigan, but for me now it’s all about this football club.

“We want the three points at the weekend.”

Power won’t be the only familiar face in the Sunderland ranks this weekend, with Will Grigg also hoping for inclusion.

The striker, who joined Sunderland in January 2019 for a fee rising to £4million, has so far been unable to replicate his Latics form on Wearside.

But Power believes his midweek run-out in the 1-1 draw against Burton was grounds for optimism.

“I thought Griggy looked really sharp when he came on, and obviously he’s been very unlucky,” he said.

“But he’s been working really hard in training and hopefully his luck turns.”

Sunderland are still without a manager after parting company with Phil Parkinson last month.

Ex-Latics boss Paul Cook is among the frontrunners for the vacancy – behind odds-on favourite Danny Cowley and Gus Poyet – and Power (pictured) hopes a decision is made sooner rather than later.

“It’s obviously been a difficult few days at the club,” he told Sunderland’s official website. “It’s never nice when a manager loses his job – and there’s a lot of uncertainty around at the moment.

“But huge credit has to go to Tayls (ex-Latics defender Andrew Taylor), Nick Allamby and Buts [Lee Butler], who have had to take the reins, and I’m sure they’re hurting.

“All we can do is keep going, and hopefully the manager situation can be resolved this week – and we can try and make this season a successful one.

“We have to move on now to Saturday, a game we have to win.”

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