SUNDERLAND, England (AFP) - Dickson Etuhu and Daryl Murphy bagged a goal apiece in each half to hand Sunderland a vital 2-0 win over Wigan in the English Premier League here on Saturday.

The home side went into the match one place behind Wigan on goal difference but the win pushed them above Steve Bruce's side and Bolton into 14th position, just two points behind their northeastern rivals Newcastle.

Wigan fielded the same side which beat West Ham 1-0 at home last weekend, new signing Marlon King starting despite travelling to join up with Jamaica in mid-week.

Sunderland made two changes from last week's defeat at Liverpool, with Etuhu and Roy O'Donovan starting in midfield.

And it was Etuhu, fresh from African Nations duty with Nigeria, who got Roy Keane's men onto the scoreboard two minutes before half-time.

Captain Dean Whitehead floated in a free-kick from the right side and an unmarked Etuhu fired in a close-range header.

Wigan had an immediate chance to equalise, but England striker Emile Heskey could only shoot wide from six yards.

Wigan upped the ante in the second half in a big to find an equaliser, Kevin Kilbane hitting the post before a header from Heskey came back off the cross-bar.

Sunderland doubled their lead with 15 minutes of the second-half to play, Ireland international Murphy picking up a superb pass from Andy Reid and drilling home a stunning 25-yard shot past Chris Kirkland.

The result, Sunderland's fourth consecutive home win at the Stadium of Light, will be a great tonic in the fight for Premiership survival, while Wigan are left teetering just one point outside the relegation zone.