MX23RW : Monday, December 23 16:44:53| >> :120:63824:63824:
[monks data]
Wigan logo
Championship
Aug 30, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Birmingham logo

4-0

McManaman (9', 45'), Taylor (39'), Waghorn (78')
FT(HT: 3-0)

Preview: Wigan Athletic vs. Birmingham City

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between Wigan and Birmingham at the DW Stadium.

It took longer than expected, but Wigan Athletic finally picked up their first victory of the season last weekend, beating Blackpool 1-0 at the DW Stadium.

They will now look to back that up with a second win to really kick-start their campaign when they host Birmingham City on Saturday.

A good run of form in the coming weeks could be enough for the Latics to reverse the damage done by their unexpectedly poor start to the season, although Uwe Rosler will know that his side still have plenty of work to do.

Having been tipped by many to be automatic promotion candidates before the season began, Wigan got off to their worst start for 13 years and weren't overly convincing in their win over troubled Blackpool either.

However, that victory should be a weight off the shoulders of the club, who had picked up just one point from their opening three Championship outings as well as being dumped out of the League Cup by Burton Albion.

Rosler is expected to do more business before the transfer window shuts, and one of his main priorities could be to replace James McArthur, who is nearing a move to Leicester City.

The midfielder may still start this weekend, however, while Martyn Waghorn could also come back into the side.

Birmingham began the campaign with lower expectations than Wigan having survived by the narrowest of margins last season, and they will be fairly content with how things have gone so far.

The Blues are unbeaten in the league since the opening day of the season, and even managed to end a 10-month winless streak at home with a 1-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion.

However, they are without a win since that result, drawing their last two league games and falling to a heavy home defeat at the hands of Sunderland in the League Cup on Wednesday.

Last Saturday's draw against Brentford would have been particularly frustrating for Lee Clark as his side failed to take advantage of having a man extra from the 15th minute.

This weekend's fixture may be one that Clark was not expecting much from before the season began, but he will be keen to pounce on Wigan when the Latics are not at their best.

At the very least, he will want his side to be hard to beat once again, and a point would not be a bad return for his side this weekend.

Recent form

Wigan: DLLLW

Birmingham: LWWDDL

Possible starting lineups

Wigan: Carson; Perch, Boyce, Ramis, Kiernan, Taylor; McManaman, McArthur, Cowie, Waghorn; Riera

Birmingham: Randolph; Spector, Edgar, Hall, Grounds; Cotterill, Davis, Caddis, Novak; Donaldson, Thomas

Sports Mole says: 1-0


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Written by
Barney Corkhill
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Ivan Ramis of Wigan during the Barclays Premier League match between Wigan Athletic and West Ham United at the DW Stadium on October 27, 2012
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