AIDEN McGEADY is confident he can handle the demands of playing two games in a week – and has told Sunderland boss Lee Johnson he does not have to be rested for this evening’s Carabao Cup third-round game at Wigan Athletic.

Johnson is expected to ring the changes as the Black Cats head to the DW Stadium, having used the previous two rounds of the League Cup to rotate his squad and run the rule over some of the youngsters that were signed during the summer transfer window.

Given that he turned 35 in April, McGeady is one of the prime candidates to step out of the starting XI this evening, indeed the Irishman was not even named in the matchday squad for the second-round win at Blackpool.

However, having completed his recovery from the knee injury that limited his involvement in pre-season, the winger is adamant he can handle the demands of playing twice a week.

“I’m happy playing two games in a week,” said McGeady. “I suppose it’s a case of, ‘Why do I have to take a break if I can play every game?’

“It’s different if I’m physically looking drained after an hour or 45 minutes, and next game I don’t look like myself. The pre-season I had, obviously I had a bit of an issue with my knee and still don’t feel 100 per cent in terms of game time, but I think I’m getting there.

“I would play every game if I could. I don’t see why not. Football is a short career, and you have to try and play as many games as you can.

“I think I can because I went from January to the end of the season last season playing two games a week and I’m 35. I feel I can, but it’s not my decision, it’s the manager’s.”

Depending on what team Wigan boss Leam Richardson selects for this evening’s game, Sunderland could find themselves lining up against their former duo Max Power and Charlie Wyke.

Wyke turned down the offer of a new deal on Wearside in order to move to the DW Stadium, and scored his first goals for the Latics as he bagged a brace in Saturday’s 4-1 win at Accrington.

In Wyke’s absence, Ross Stewart has stepped up to make his mark in Sunderland’s starting line-up, and while McGeady does not want to draw too many parallels between the two strikers, he was always confident Sunderland’s current leading scorer would replace last season’s main man.

“They are different specimens,” he said. “Charlie is probably more of a poacher than Rosco, whereas Rosco is quick and works really hard. I’m not saying Charlie didn’t work hard, but they are different types of strikers. The pressure was on Ross to replace the goals of Charlie. So far, he’s done that."