Kolo Toure's Wigan slumped to the bottom of the Championship as Tony Mowbray's inspired substitutions put Sunderland in the play-off places.
After Will Keane cancelled out Everton loanee Ellis Simms' opener for the visitors, Mowbray sent on his big guns Pat Roberts and Ross Stewart and within three minutes Roberts won a penalty that Stewart converted – with Roberts later adding Sunderland's third himself.
Amad Diallo, on loan from Manchester United, completed the scoring in the final minute to leave Toure, a playing legend with Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool, still looking for his first win as a manager after four games.