MX23RW : Wednesday, December 25 03:01:32| >> :120:46756:46756:
[monks data]
Sheffield Wednesday logo
Championship
Nov 29, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Wigan logo

2-1

May (27', 71')
FT(HT: 1-1)
McCann (26')

Preview: Sheffield Wednesday vs. Wigan Athletic

Sports Mole looks ahead to Saturday's Championship clash between Sheffield Wednesday and Wigan at Hillsborough.

Malky Mackay will resume his search for a maiden win as Wigan Athletic manager when he faces his first away game as boss against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

The Latics fought to a 1-1 draw against high-flying Middlesbrough in his first match in the dugout, with the off-field controversies surrounding his appointment failing to dampen the supporters' enthusiasm towards their new boss.

Matters off the pitch continue to make the headlines as far as Wigan are concerned, however, with chairman Dave Whelan this week being charged by the FA for anti-Semitic comments.

In truth, things aren't much better on the field. Wigan are languishing just one place off the bottom of the table despite going into the season among the favourites to gain promotion to the Premier League.

It is now four games without a win for the Latics, while they have won just once since August, so Mackay's first victory at the club cannot come soon enough.

Wigan have only won once away from home all season, but have beaten Sheffield Wednesday three times in a row and have never conceded a goal against them in the league.

Scoring goals has been the issue for the Owls this season, with just 12 from their 18 games so far - the joint lowest tally in the Football League alongside Blackpool.

Just one of those goals have come in their last seven games, while they are now without a win in their last 11 matches in all competitions.

On the other hand, only Middlesbrough can better Wednesday's defensive record this season. Stuart Gray's side have conceded just 14 times, meaning that their 18 league games have seen only 26 goals overall.

A goalless draw with Huddersfield Town last time out was the Owls' ninth clean sheet of the campaign, and only Plymouth Argyle have kept more in the Football League this season.

Gray must decide whether to stick with misfiring strikers Stevie May and Gary Taylor-Fletcher, but he is unlikely to risk Caolan Lavery from the start this weekend as the forward continues his recovery from injury.

Sheff Weds:

Recent form: DDDLDD

Possible starting lineup: Westwood; Palmer, Lees, Loovens, Helan; Drenthe, Semedo, McGugan, Maghoma; May, Nuhiu

Wigan:

Recent form: DWDLLD

Possible starting lineup: Carson; Boyce, Ramis, Barnett, Taylor; McCann, Forshaw, Espinoza; McManaman, Fortune, Maloney

Sports Mole says: 0-1


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Written by
Barney Corkhill
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Manager Chris Powell of Huddersfield Town gestures during Sky Bet Championship match between Leeds United and Huddersfield Town at Elland Road Stadium on September 20, 2014
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd22155232112148
2Leeds UnitedLeeds22136341152645
3Burnley2212822891944
4Sunderland22127334181643
5Blackburn RoversBlackburn2111462518737
6Middlesbrough22105738281035
7West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom22811326161035
8Watford2110473028234
9Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds229582830-232
10Millwall217772118328
11Swansea CitySwansea227692424027
12Bristol City226972628-227
13Norwich CityNorwich226883734326
14Queens Park RangersQPR2251072328-525
15Luton TownLuton2274112538-1325
16Derby CountyDerby2266102728-124
17Coventry CityCoventry2266102834-624
18Preston North EndPreston2241172229-723
19Stoke CityStoke2257102330-722
20Portsmouth204882535-1020
21Hull City2247112131-1019
22Cardiff CityCardiff2146111934-1518
23Oxford UnitedOxford Utd2146112137-1618
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth2146112245-2318


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