Wigan Athletic play host to Bristol Rovers on Saturday afternoon with both clubs bidding to secure a win that would boost their survival hopes.
These two sides sit in 17th and 18th position in the League One table respectively, albeit with the visitors having recorded successive victories.
Match preview
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Although Wigan were tipped as outsiders for the playoffs before the start of the season, the Latics find themselves on the brink of being pulled into a relegation scrap.
The midweek 2-1 defeat at home to then bottom-placed Burton Albion made it three defeats in four and left Wigan nine points clear of the bottom four and having played one game more than some of the chasing pack.
Just 10 points have been accumulated from their last nine fixtures in the third tier, Shaun Maloney left in no doubt that improvements must be made to ensure a comfortable second half of the campaign.
Despite the recent 2-1 success at Stevenage, goals remain the issue for this team with just 24 being scored across their 25 league encounters.
Sixteen matches have also passed since Wigan netted more than twice in a League One fixture, something that Bristol Rovers will look to exploit on their trip to the North-West.
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The visitors have just turned a corner after a dismal run of collecting just one point from seven matches in the third tier.
Inigo Calderon was the surprise choice to become the club's new head coach when appointed on Boxing Day, but the Spaniard has now delivered Bristol Rovers' first back-to-back victories in the league since the start of October.
After a potentially-pivotal 1-0 triumph away at Cambridge United, who now sit in bottom place, the Pirates posted a 3-1 win over playoff-chasing Barnsley at the Memorial Stadium.
Those victories have catapulted Bristol Rovers into a position where they now sit seven points clear of the relegation zone, yet this remains a team that has scored just 10 times in 13 away league games during 2024-25, losing nine.
Team News
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With an array of incomings having been made since the start of January, Maloney could significantly tinker with his Wigan XI.
Will Goodwin and Joseph Hungbo were only introduced as substitutes last time out and are pushing for opportunities in the final third.
James Carragher is also an alternative to be restored at right-back if Maloney wishes to tinker with his defence.
Barring any injury issues, Calderon may be prepared to select the same Bristol Rovers XI for this fixture.
New arrival Romaine Sawyers featured from the start in the win over Barnsley and is in line to retain his spot in central midfield, but Ruel Sotiriou may remain on the substitutes' bench despite his goal in that fixture.
Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:
Tickle; Sibbick, Kerr, Aimson, Mellish; S.Smith, Norburn; Hungbo, Aasgard, Olakigbe; Taylor
Bristol Rovers possible starting lineup:
Griffiths; Moore, Wilson, Taylor, Sousa; Ward, Sawyers; Thomas, Hutchinson, Sinclair; O'Donkor
We say: Wigan Athletic 1-1 Bristol Rovers
On the back of defeat to Burton, Maloney is coming under increasing pressure at the Latics. Nevertheless, we feel that his side will do enough to earn a hard-fought share of the spoils, a result that both teams would settle for in the circumstances.
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Darren Plant
