Two bottom-half teams in danger of being dragged into a relegation battle will lock horns in League One on Tuesday night, with Wigan Athletic, who have sacked their manager Shaun Maloney, heading to Mansfield Town.
Mansfield are currently 16th in the League One table, picking up 39 points from their 33 league matches, while Wigan are on the same points in 15th, ahead of their rivals in this contest due to their superior goal difference.
Match preview
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Mansfield occupy 16th spot in the League One table, with 39 points to show from their 33 matches, which has left them six points outside of the relegation zone heading towards the final stages of the campaign.
Nigel Clough's team secured promotion from League Two last term, so avoiding relegation was their main aim for this season, and by that standard, it has been a successful campaign to date for the Stags.
Mansfield will enter Tuesday's clash off the back of a 1-1 draw against Burton Albion on Saturday afternoon, which stretched their winless run in England's third tier to 10 matches.
The Stags have not been victorious in League One since the start of January, losing eight of their 10 matches since to slide down the table, and their form is hugely concerning at this stage of the campaign.
Mansfield have only picked up 18 points from their 16 home league fixtures this season, while Wigan have 20 points to show from their 16 away league fixtures during the 2024-25 campaign.
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Wigan, meanwhile, have a record of 10 wins, nine draws and 14 defeats from their 33 league matches this season, with 39 points leaving them in 15th, ahead of Mansfield due to their superior goal difference.
Maloney was sacked as head coach following Saturday's 2-1 defeat at home to Reading, with the Latics now looking for a new boss.
The 42-year-old had been in charge for little over two years, but Wigan's difficulties this season have seen him lose his job, and ex-Republic of Ireland midfielder Glenn Whelan will be in interim charge for this match, assisted by Graham Barrow and Frankie Bunn.
The Latics did beat Huddersfield Town in their last home fixture at the end of February, but that proved to be the first win in a month, and it has been decided to move the team in a different direction for the rest of the campaign.
Wigan are 15th in the division, some 17 points outside of the playoffs, and they are only actually six points clear of the relegation zone, so dropping into League Two for the 2025-26 campaign is certainly a possibility.
Team News
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Mansfield will be without the services of George Maris, with the 28-year-old forced off in the latter stages of the first period against Burton Albion on Saturday afternoon.
Aaron Lewis is therefore in line for a start, but it might otherwise be the same XI that took to the field for the first whistle last time out, including a spot for Will Evans, who has scored 12 times in League One this season.
Lucas Akins is still going strong for Mansfield at the age of 36, and he is also set to start on Tuesday night, with Lee Gregory out for the remainder of the campaign due to a serious knee injury.
As for Wigan, Dale Taylor is the team's leading goalscorer, finding the back of the net on eight occasions in 34 appearances, and the 21-year-old is again set to feature in the final third of the field.
Jonny Smith has been another standout performer for the Latics this term, netting six times in all competitions, and he will again feature in the final third of the field.
James Carragher has recently been absent due to an illness, and it remains to be seen whether the defender is fit to return for this contest, but Joseph Hungbo is definitely out through injury.
Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:
Flinders; Oshilaja, Kilgour, Cargill; Hewitt, Baccus, Reed, Lewis, McLaughlin; Akins, Evans
Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:
Tickle; Sibbick, Aimson, Kerr, Mellish; Adeeko, Norburn; Smith, Darcy, Dale; Taylor
We say: Mansfield Town 0-1 Wigan Athletic
Wigan have posted five away victories in League One this season, and they will be coming up against a Mansfield team that have lost eight times on home soil in the division this term - it would not be a shock to see a draw here, but we have a feeling that Wigan will shade this game.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
