Wigan Athletic will be looking to bounce back from defeat in their last game as they host playoff hopefuls Blackpool this Saturday at the DW Stadium.
The hosts come into the game with little to play for as they sit mid-table in League One, while the visitors are just a point behind sixth-placed Stevenage as they hunt for a spot in this season's playoff positions.
Match preview
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Wigan have had a tough time in the past few years, with them being relegated as the worst side from the Championship last season before being handed an eight-point deduction ahead of the 2023-24 campaign after failing to meet an English Football League funding deadline.
Shaun Maloney got his side off to a positive start by picking up 10 points from the opening four outings, but a tough spell followed when they managed just one further win in their next seven games.
Since that, Wigan have been able to climb out of the relegation zone and now find themselves firmly in the middle of the table with just eight matches left to play, leaving Maloney's side destined for another season in League One as they sit 14 points behind the playoffs and 13 above the bottom four.
Wigan will still have their eyes set on climbing as high up the table as possible in these remaining games, and they will want to get back to winning ways after a disappointing loss to Wycombe Wanderers in their last game despite being the dominant side throughout.
They now come up against a Blackpool side who finished just two points above them in the Championship last campaign and joined them for this year's League One contest.
This fixture has largely gone against Wigan in recent times with Blackpool taking four wins from the last five meetings, leaving Maloney's side out for revenge in this one.
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Blackpool's remaining eight matches have much more riding on them compared to their opponents as they find themselves in a five-team race for the final playoff spot, which is currently occupied by Stevenage, who are a point better off than Blackpool and also have a game in hand over the chasing pack.
Neil Critchley's side have been lurking just outside of the top six for the entire season and he will be hoping his team can put together a good run of results between now and the end of the season to finally get into those desired playoff positions.
Despite enjoying a mostly positive season, Blackpool's away form has been rather disappointing as they have managed only six wins from their 19 games on the road.
With half of their remaining games seeing them play as the visiting team, the Tangerines will have to improve on this record, starting with a result against Wigan on Saturday.
Top scorer Jordan Rhodes has failed to score since the turn of the year, and Critchley will hope that the Huddersfield Town loanee will return to form at the tail end of the season with every game crucially important in their race for sixth spot.
Team News
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Maloney has just the one absentee heading into this game as Callum McManaman misses out with an ankle injury that he sustained in the 1-0 victory over Leyton Orient.
Jason Kerr and Jordan Jones could see a return to the side after missing out with injuries in the previous game against Wycombe.
As for Blackpool, they will be without multiple first-team players following a string of recent injuries.
Andy Lyons suffered an ACL injury against Leyton Orient and is out for the remainder of the season, while James Husband is also out with a thigh injury. Albie Morgan also remains out.
Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:
Tickle; Hughes, Goode, Morrison; J. Smith, Adeeko, S. Smith, Chambers; Jones, Magennis, Aasgaard
Blackpool possible starting lineup:
Grimshaw; Pennington, Ekpiteta, Casey; Lawrence-Gabriel, Dembele, Norburn, Byers, Coulson; Rhodes, Beesley
We say: Wigan Athletic 1-2 Blackpool
This fixture has gone in Blackpool's favour more often than not in recent meetings between these two sides, with the Tangerines claiming four victories in the last five games.
While Wigan will still be looking to climb as high up the table as possible, this game will mean much more to a playoff-hunting Blackpool and we expect them to win this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
