Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill was happy to keep new Tottenham loan signing Danny Rose on the bench for their 2-2 draw at Wigan Athletic.

Rose is short of match fitness having begun the season serving a two-match suspension, with O'Neill opting to protect his new acquisition.

"With Kieran Richardson leaving, Danny has come in, and he signed in time to play against Swansea," the Sunderland manager told safc.com.

"But I left him off the bench and he's had a look at things.

"He hasn't played much and if he'd started the game that would have been three players out there without any real match fitness.

"He's due to go away with England under-21s this week; maybe he will get some football there and then after that he can look towards getting involved with us."