League One’s top two clubs go head-to-head this evening in the Carabao Cup third round as Sunderland travel to the DW Stadium to face Wigan Athletic.
If the Black Cats are victorious in Lancashire they will have to wait until tomorrow, though, to find out their next opponents.
This is because the draw is set to take place immediately after Manchester United’s clash with West Ham United at Old Trafford, which kicks off at 7.45pm.
The draw will be shown live on Sky Sports following the game, and is expected to take place around 10pm.
Sunderland’s success in this competition so far this season has been built on some strong away form, initially overcoming League Two side Port Vale 2-1 at Vale Park.
Goals from the now departed Josh Hawkes and an Aiden O’Brien penalty were enough for Lee Johnson’s side, despite Jamie Proctor’s consolation strike midway through the second half.
The Black Cats were then tasked with a difficult looking trip to newly promoted Championship outfit Blackpool.
This time Johnson’s men were forced to come from behind to progress to the third round following Shayne Lavery’s ninth minute opener.
O’Brien was once again on target for Sunderland as he netted a goal in each half to put his side 2-1 ahead, before Josh Bowler thought he had sent the game to penalties with an 87th minute equaliser.
But Sunderland’s Carabao Cup man of the moment O’Brien was not done there in front of goal as he fired in his third of the evening in stoppage time to send the Wearside outfit through.
Sunderland will be hoping they can replicate the result they managed on the first league game of the season last month, when they defeated tonight’s opponents Wigan 2-1 at the Stadium of Light.
