A PUZZLED Liam Lawrence feels trying to put a finger on why Wigan have enjoyed a 40-point swing over Sunderland since the two sides clinched promotion to the Premiership last May is impossible.

The Black Cats won the Championship by seven points last season but the Latics have responded by opening up a 33-point gap since moving up to the top tier of English football.

Now Wigan, with nine games remaining, are almost certainly going to be in the same league again next year, while relegation looks like being on the cards for Sunderland at Easter.

And Lawrence can't understand quite how there has been such a huge turnaround in fortunes, especially as Sunderland's failings have resulted in Mick McCarthy being sacked.

"It's amazing. We won the league, we were flying and a few months later look where the two sides are. It's ridiculous and I can't put my finger on why," said Lawrence.

"We peppered them down at the JJB Stadium, we peppered them here on Saturday and we haven't even been able to draw, never mind win. We've come away with two defeats."

Lawrence let his feelings known last week when he revealed his disappointment that McCarthy had been sacked but the midfielder insists he still felt for caretaker boss Kevin Ball after Saturday's 1-0 defeat.

"The result was not ideal for the new manager, but the performance was heartening because we kept going and gave it our best," said Lawrence.

"Yeah, we have sympathy for Bally because he's a good fella, he's always been in and around the training ground and now he's the manager we have to respect everything he says and does.

"It's a new manager and everything's to be different but we've got to get used to it and take everything he says on board and do our best for him.

"The week didn't start too well with the news of Mick McCarthy going.We were very disappointed to hear it. We've got to keep going and doing our best for Kevin Ball."