MX23RW : Friday, November 8 17:40:18| >> :120:40267:40267:
[monks data]
Leeds logo
Championship
Dec 26, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Wigan logo

0-2

FT(HT: 0-1)
Cooper (11' og.), McClean (83')

Preview: Leeds United vs. Wigan Athletic

Sports Mole gazes ahead to the Boxing Day Championship clash between two struggling sides, Leeds United and Wigan Athletic.

Malky Mackay is still searching for his first victory as Wigan Athletic manager, and the next chance to end his dismal start as Latics boss comes at Leeds United on Boxing Day.

The Scottish manager began his reign with an encouraging 1-1 draw at home to high-flying Middlesbrough, but since then Wigan have lost four games in a row and are bottom but one in the Championship and six points from safety.

Saturday's home defeat to fellow strugglers Rotherham United was the worst of the lot and Mackay will be hoping for a big response at Elland Road.

Their away displays this season do not point to a win, though, as the Latics have won just once on the road all season, collecting a league-low five points on their travels.

Mackay is sure to flex his muscles in the upcoming January transfer window and a striker could be top of his wishlist as the likes of Roger Espinoza and James McClean have started up front in the recent defeats to Watford and Rotherham.

Leeds's away points haul is only one better than Wigan's, but they do have a top-10 home record with 18 points from 11 games at Elland Road.

The Whites enter the match as one of the teams just above the drop zone in 18th place following Saturday evening's 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest, and have just two wins in their last 14 games.

While the draw at the City Ground was a decent result on the pitch, bad news continues to pile up off it. The Massimo Cellino ownership saga rumbles on, while defender Giuseppe Bellusci has been charged with using racist language towards Norwich City's Cameron Jerome by the Football Association.

Italian defender Bellusci hasn't played in almost a month because of injury, but he is back in training and expected to be fit for the visit of Wigan.

Leeds have an excellent Boxing Day home record in recent years, losing just once in 11 matches back in 1996 to Coventry City, while Wigan have never won a Boxing Day game in the second tier.

Leeds:

Recent form: WLWLLD

Possible starting lineup: Silvestri; Byram, Pearce, Cooper, Warnock; Cook, Bianchi, Mowatt; Adryan, Antenucci, Sharp

Wigan:

Recent form: LDLLLL

Possible starting lineup: Carson; Perch, Boyce, Barnett, Taylor; McCann, Watson; McManaman, Cowie, McClean, Fortune

Sports Mole says: 2-1


ID:195300: cacheID:195300:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5472:No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Troy Deeney of Watford celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Watford and Blackburn Rovers at Vicarage Road on March 25, 2014
Read Next:
Half-Time Report: McCann cancels out Deeney strike
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
FT
Bengals
34-35
Ravens
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sunderland149322391430
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd149321871128
3Leeds UnitedLeeds147522291326
4Burnley146621761124
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom14572148622
6Millwall146441712522
7Watford147162222022
8Middlesbrough146351816221
9Swansea CitySwansea14545119219
10Blackburn RoversBlackburn145451616019
11Bristol City144731819-119
12Norwich CityNorwich144642320318
13Derby CountyDerby145361818018
14Stoke CityStoke145361718-118
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds145361724-718
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd144551717017
17Coventry CityCoventry144371819-115
18Hull City143651518-315
19Luton TownLuton144371621-515
20Preston North EndPreston143651420-615
21Cardiff CityCardiff144371320-715
22Plymouth ArgylePlymouth144371425-1115
23Queens Park RangersQPR141761223-1110
24Portsmouth141671327-149


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!