Sunderland's players are now playing under a threat from manager Steve Bruce that if they cannot take the club forward he will find others who can.

The Black Cats boss was furious after a lacklustre performance at Wigan, the club he left in the summer, resulted in a 1-0 defeat at the DW Stadium.

In their last 17 away matches the club have won just once - against Bolton on the opening day of the season.

Bruce is baffled why a team which beats Arsenal at the Stadium of Light one week can go to Wigan a week later and register just one shot on target all game.

"We have to look not just at this season, that's one win in 17 games," said the Sunderland manager.

"They are certainly not the team I am seeing at the Stadium of Light.

"It is a shadow of the team that played last week and unless that mentality changes then we will have to do something about it.

"We have let down 5,000 people who have travelled down four weeks before Christmas - in the first half in particular we didn't have a kick of the ball.

"We don't seem to play with the same vigour or determination away from home.

"It is deeply frustrating because if we didn't have the ability it would be impossible to play against the big teams but we know we have the ability.

"We are a big club trying to go forward and the mentality must change.

"If it doesn't then I'll have to change the personnel, it's as simple as that.

"I can't keep putting up with [poor] performances away from home - considering what we can produce at home - I have to change that."

The manager's threat is not an idle one as, backed by the money of American businessman Ellis Short, he has the wherewithal to strengthen his squad if he can find the right players.

Wigan obviously had a point to prove to Bruce, who left them in the summer for the promised riches at the Stadium of Light, but more importantly they had something to prove to themselves after their shambolic 9-1 defeat at Tottenham.

Apart from a 10-minute spell after half-time and a couple of late Sunderland flurries the Latics controlled the game and fully deserved their victory.

Jason Scotland hit a post in the first half before Hugo Rodallega, the striker Bruce signed for £5million in January to replace Emile Heskey, scored a 76th-minute winner.

The Colombia striker was assisted by some hapless Sunderland defending, however, as he chased Paul Scharner's hopeful lob.

Centre-back Paulo da Silva came across to challenge but lost out to the slightly-built Rodallega and while the Paraguay international was still picking himself off the floor Rodallega coolly side-footed past Marton Fulop from a narrow angle.

Bruce criticised both Da Silva and his goalkeeper for allowing the goal but, more worryingly, he questioned whether some of his team had the right attitude to push Sunderland to the next level.

"I think it is mentality, that is all it is. You have to have a big, strong mentality to play in the Premier League," he added.

"We've seen strange things. Wigan got beat 9-1 last week, we beat Arsenal and then they've turned us over.

"It can only happen in England I suppose."