English
Español
Français
Português
Deutsch
Italiano
NederlandAnother clash demonstrating the depth of League One promotion candidates takes place on Tuesday, as Wigan Athletic host Sheffield Wednesday at the DW Stadium.
The hosts sit top of the tree in the third tier after a fifth consecutive league win at the weekend, while Wednesday are stuck in mid-table following four games without a win.
Match preview
© Reuters
After Wigan Athletic consolidated their position at the summit of League One with victory over Cheltenham on Saturday, boss Leam Richardson was fulsome in his praise for his side, who have now won each of their league games since the middle of August.
Goals from Callum Lang and Charlie Wyke saw Richardson's men claim an ultimately convincing 2-0 home victory over the Robins, which leaves them tied on points with former Premier League rivals Sunderland, as the long race for automatic promotion gets up and running.
Wyke finally broke his scoring duck at Accrington last week after seven successive blanks, and the summer signing from Sunderland has now begun to add goals to his impressive all-round contribution.
The powerful striker will certainly have a tough task in breaking down a Sheffield Wednesday defence which has conceded just six league goals so far - a record bettered only by Wigan's five - but his confidence will be soaring ahead of the Owls' visit to the DW Stadium.
Though the Latics were knocked out of the EFL Cup last week after a defeat to Sunderland, they remain on track for a return to the Championship after two years away, with a sixth straight win over one of their potential rivals being well within their grasp.
© Reuters
Having conceded a late equaliser on Saturday in calamitous circumstances, Sheffield Wednesday will be doubly keen to get back into the winning habit at Wigan.
Manager Darren Moore claimed that Ipswich Town were fortunate to snatch a point in their 1-1 draw at Portman Road, when Macauley Bonne stole in behind Wednesday goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell to pinch the ball; allowing Conor Chaplin to score.
Following another draw at home to Shrewsbury a week previously - plus successive defeats to Morecambe and Plymouth before that - Moore is aware that spurning such a golden opportunity to seal maximum points for the first time since August will heap further pressure on his team.
Though they have been adept at keeping the back door shut, as befits their manager's reputation as a rock-solid defender, Wednesday have lacked punch in the final third and are among the division's lowest scorers so far.
To that end, ex-West Brom striker Saido Berahino has been brought back to England after spells with Zulte Waregem and Charleroi in Belgian football, with the 28-year-old penning a deal initially until the end of the season.
On-loan forward duo Florian Kamberi and Theo Corbeanu have both struggled to adapt to life at Hillsborough so far, but Burundi international Berahino has already got off the mark for Wednesday and would love to add to his tally on Tuesday.
- D
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- L
- W
- W
- L
- W
- W
- W
- L
- L
- D
- D
- W
- L
- W
- L
- D
- D
Team News
© Reuters
Wigan still have Thelo Aasgaard - who sustained a knee injury playing for the Under-23s last week - on the sidelines, while goalkeeper Jamie Jones is also out with a hand problem so back-up stopper Sam Tickle covers for him on the bench.
Otherwise, the home side should have their main men fit and ready for Tuesday, with a similar XI to Saturday's likely to be named, though Jordan Jones is pushing for a place on the wing and is a contender to start opposite veteran winger James McClean.
Though Lee Gregory started on Saturday for Sheffield Wednesday, boss Darren Moore could have Saido Berahino, Florian Kamberi and Theo Corbeanu all available to challenge for his place up front this week.
The latter pair have been unable to establish a regular spot in Moore's side since moving to South Yorkshire, while Berahino has been struggling with a calf problem but may now be ready to play from the start.
Midfielder George Byers missed out against both Shrewsbury and Ipswich because of a knock picked up in training but is set to be involved, while Everton loanee Lewis Gibson remains unlikely to come into the defence, as he continues to suffer from a series of injury issues.
Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:
Amos; Power, Whatmough, Watts, Darikwa; Naylor, Cousins; Lang, Keane, McClean; Wyke
Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Peacock-Farrell; Hunt, Iorfa, Hutchinson, Palmer; Byers, Wing; Berahino, Bannan, Shodipo; Kamberi
We say: Wigan Athletic 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday
A third successive draw for Wednesday can halt Wigan's serene progress, as they have proven defensive resilience in their opening League One games and will happily accept a point over the border in Lancashire.
That result would be far from a disaster for the hosts too, with a game against struggling Gillingham next up on the itinerary at the weekend.
