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Blackburn logo
Championship
May 3, 2014 at 12.15pm UK
 
Wigan logo

4-3

Cairney (13'), Gestede (19', 35'), Rhodes (84')
FT(HT: 3-1)
Ramis (17'), McClean (59'), Maynard (87')

Preview: Blackburn Rovers vs. Wigan Athletic

Sports Mole previews the Championship final-day meeting between playoff hopefuls Blackburn and Wigan at Ewood Park.

Blackburn Rovers go into Saturday's Championship meeting with Wigan Athletic still dreaming of sneaking into the playoffs this season.

Gary Bowyer's side kept their slim hopes alive with a 3-1 victory over Charlton Athletic last weekend and go into the final day as one of three teams who could still mathematically claim the final playoff place.

However, Reading and Brighton & Hove Albion are both much better placed than Blackburn to secure a top-six finish, so Bowyer would need results to fall very kindly for his side to stand any chance of overtaking them.

Rovers sit three points behind the Royals in sixth, meaning that they would need Burnley to beat Reading and Nottingham Forest to win against Brighton to have a shot at the top six.

Even then, goal difference comes into play, with Blackburn needing a seven-goal swing over both Reading and Brighton to overtake them in the table.

It is only a mathematical rather than a realistic possibility then, but Blackburn will be confident of doing their bit and beating the Latics at Ewood Park.

The hosts are now unbeaten in 11 matches and, while the majority of those games have ended as draws, Blackburn have won their last two and scored seven goals in the process.

It is now five matches since they last tasted defeat in front of their own fans, while they have kept clean sheets in each of their last three home outings. Even if they do miss out on the playoffs, their end-of-season form will raise optimism that they can go one better and finish in the top six next year.

Bowyer will likely be without Tommy Spurr for the match, while Ben Marshall is definitely sidelined through injury.

Wigan, meanwhile, secured their own playoff place with a narrow 1-0 victory over Birmingham City on Tuesday - a vital result considering they had slipped down to sixth place with a shock defeat to Blackpool last Saturday.

It has been an eventful campaign for the Latics, with a change of manager plus a Europa League campaign and a run to the semi-finals of the FA Cup. However, it could get even more eventful if they are able to reach Wembley and secure an immediate return to the top flight.

While they have little to fight for this weekend on first glance, a point would be enough for them to secure fifth place and a playoff semi-final with fourth-placed Queens Park Rangers rather than third-placed Derby County.

They will be keen to get back to form away from home too, having managed just one victory from their last four matches on the road after a run of six straight wins.

Chris McCann and Ben Watson are both still out for Uwe Rosler's side, but the Latics' injury worries have subsided in recent weeks with a number of other long-term absentees returning to fitness.

Recent form

Blackburn: WWDDWW

Wigan: LLWLLW

Possible starting lineups

Blackburn: Robinson; Keane, Kilgallon, Hanley, Olsson; Taylor, Evans, Cairney, Conway; Gestede, Rhodes

Wigan: Carson; Perch, Boyce, Barnett, Beausejour; McManaman, Gomez, McArthur, Espinoza, Maloney; Waghorn

Sports Mole says: 2-2


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Written by
Barney Corkhill
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Manager Jose Riga of Charlton Athletic looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match between Charlton Athletic and Huddersfield Town at The Valley on March 12, 2014
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1Leeds UnitedLeeds26158348192953
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3Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd26166436171952
4Sunderland26148439221750
5Middlesbrough26118743321141
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom26913432211140
7Blackburn RoversBlackburn2511682823539
8Bristol City2691073330337
9Watford25114103536-137
10Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds2610793840-237
11Norwich CityNorwich269984337636
12Swansea CitySwansea2697103030034
13Queens Park RangersQPR2671182934-532
14Millwall257992423130
15Preston North EndPreston2661282834-630
16Coventry CityCoventry2678113437-329
17Oxford UnitedOxford Utd2577112840-1228
18Derby CountyDerby2676133135-427
19Stoke CityStoke2669112432-827
20Luton TownLuton2674152744-1725
21Portsmouth2458113041-1123
22Hull City2658132536-1123
23Cardiff CityCardiff2558122540-1523
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth2548132453-2920


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