Preview: Wigan Athletic vs. Charlton Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

Having both lost in midweek, League One title contenders Wigan Athletic and mid-table Charlton Athletic go head-to-head on Saturday, seeking to bounce back straight away.

While the hosts saw their run of 12 unbeaten league matches ended on Tuesday, their visitors suffered a 2-1 defeat to Bolton which leaves them 13th in the table.

Match preview

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Perhaps inevitably, having seen a 20-game undefeated run in all competitions come to a halt last weekend as they exited the FA Cup, Wigan went on to lose in League One three days later - slipping to a 1-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.

As a result, the Latics are now tied on points with third-placed MK Dons, though they still have the advantage of four games in hand. However, the gap between Leam Richardson's team and league leaders Rotherham United has now stretched to nine points.

Due to a raft of postponements around the turn of the year, Wigan also have three games in hand over their South Yorkshire rivals, but will not want to let them drift any further into the distance by failing to win at home this weekend.

While they sit proudly atop the rankings for points accrued on away soil this season, Richardson's side have fared only modestly well on home turf by comparison: failing to pick up maximum points on six occasions, after 13 league fixtures at the DW Stadium.

If they are to retain their automatic promotion place, then, that record will surely have to improve soon - ideally starting on Saturday against opponents they beat 2-0 earlier in the season, when veteran winger James McLean sealed victory with a stoppage-time strike.

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Entering their midweek contest with Wigan's Lancashire neighbours Bolton Wanderers level on points in League One, in-form Charlton were unable to extend their unbeaten run to four league games and have therefore slipped behind the Trotters in the standings.

After conceding a late goal to the hosts' Will Aimson, the Addicks remain entrenched in mid-table mediocrity - being too far adrift of the top six to mount a playoff push, but also 10 points clear of the relegation zone with a game in hand on several clubs below them.

Nonetheless, successive victories over Fleetwood Town, Portsmouth and Wimbledon will have bolstered confidence in the camp, and Johnnie Jackson's men now face a second away fixture in the space of a few days, hoping to turn over one of the division's most feared sides.

Jackson has highlighted the fact that his side have previously returned from both Sunderland and Portsmouth with maximum points this term, but having picked up just four wins from 15 away matches in the league all told, Charlton are certainly up against the odds this weekend.

Due to the quick turnaround in fixtures, the visitors' boss has been eager to avoid overloading his players' tired legs with too much on-field training, so much of the South London side's preparation will be done in the video analysis room, where they will surely be picking apart how Sheffield Wednesday succeeded.

Team News

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While striker Will Keane has made his comeback to first-team training and could return to the Wigan squad later this month, the home side have received a fresh injury setback, as Norway Under-21 international Thelo Aasgaard has suffered a stress fracture and will be out for the rest of the season.

As recent signing Josh Magennis has failed to get up and running as yet, and Wigan have managed only one goal in their last four games in all competitions, Stephen Humphrys could therefore come into the side up front.

Meanwhile, both Jordan Cousins and Tom Pearce are once again unavailable through injury.

Charlton have reported no fresh injury concerns ahead of the trip north, though Jake Forster-Caskey and top scorer Jayden Stockley are both set to miss the game due to injury.

Wing-back Corey Blackett-Taylor was withdrawn early on last weekend with a hamstring problem, and Diallang Jaiyesimi may again be required to deputise on Saturday.

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:
Amos; Power, Whatmough, Tilt, Darikwa; Naylor, Shinnie; Lang, McGrath, McClean; Humphrys

Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:
MacGillivray; Clare, Pearce, Famewo; Matthews, Gilbey, Dobson, Morgan, Jaiyesimi; Washington, Aneke

We say: Wigan Athletic 1-1 Charlton Athletic

As Wigan are less effective at home and Charlton cannot find consistency away, a close-fought score draw could be on the cards when they meet on Saturday.

Such a result would suit neither side, but is the likeliest outcome given the hosts' recent inability to find the back of the net and kill off games.

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