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Preview: Wigan Athletic vs Sunderland, Sat 15:00

Martin O’Neill’s reformed Sunderland have won 4 of their last 7 Premier League matches and pushed themselves clear of the relegation zone in recent weeks. They’ll look to continue their strong run of form against a Wigan side that have won just 1 of their last 9.

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Sunderland striker celebrates his goal that separated the sides when they last met in the Premier League.

Team News:

Wigan:

  • Antolin Alcaraz (groin) Albert Crusat (knee) Ryo Miyaichi (ankle) Piscu (hamstring) and Ben Watson (shin) make up the long term injury list for the Latics.
  • Wigan were hit with the blow that their defender Ivan Ramis will be missing for the rest of the season with a knee injury.
  • Ramis has been struggling with injury for months, and suffered his final blow of the season in the 1-1 draw with Fulham last weekend.
  • Wigan’s only other definite absentee is striker Arouna Kone, who has joined up with his Ivory Coast team-mates at the African Cup of Nations.
  • Manager Roberto Martinez will name the same side that featured in the draw at Craven Cottage, with goalscorer from that match Franco Di Santo up front.

 

Sunderland:

  • Wes Brown, Lee Cattermole (both knee), Carlos Cuellar and Danny Rose (both hamstring) will all miss out this week through injury.
  • Aside from that manager Martin O’Neill has no injury or suspension concerns and can name the same side that won against West Ham last week.
  • Sunderland front-man Steven Fletcher missed the Black Cats’ FA Cup replay loss against Bolton in midweek through illness, but he looks to have shaken it off this week.
  • Fletcher and Stephane Sessegnon will once again start up front for Sunderland, though Connor Wickham is chasing a place in the side.

 

Think you can predict the line-ups? Play our Facebook game ‘The Insider’ and win great prizes: PLAY NOW

 

Premier League Form Guide (Last 5 Matches)

Wigan: D-L-W-L-L                                    Sunderland:  W-L-L-W-W

 

Head to Head (Last 10 Matches)

 

WIGAN

SUNDERLAND

WINS

3

4

DRAWS

3

 

When these sides met in the Premier League back in September, Sunderland won a fierce battle at the Stadium of Light to earn their first 3 points of the season. Black Cats’ striker Steven Fletcher scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win for Martin O’Neill’s side.

 

The Stats:

  • Sunderland have won 3 of their last 4 matches against Wigan, scoring 4 goals on two of those occasions.
  • Previously, the Black Cats had won  just one of the first nine Premier League meetings with Wigan (W1 D3 L5).
  • Steven Fletcher has scored four goals in six Premier League appearances against Wigan; more than against any other opponent.
  • Wigan have won just one of their last nine Premier League games (W1 D2 L6).
  • Sunderland have won three and lost just one of their six Premier League games this season against teams currently in the bottom six of the table.
  • Sunderland have recovered just one point from losing positions in the Premier League this season, fewer than any other team.
  • Wigan have conceded joint- high six penalties in the Premier League this season (6).
  • A quarter of Sunderland’s goals have been scored from corners this season, the highest proportion in the top flight (6/24).

 

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Preview – West Ham v Stoke, Mon 8pm

West Ham's impressive start to the season has Sam Allardyce's men sitting pretty in sixth place. They come up against a Stoke side that has won just two league games this season, but Allardyce would be wise not to underestimate Tony Pulis' side.

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Team News:

West Ham:

  • Manager Sam Alladyce has some doubts over Yossi Benayoun, George McCartney and Matt Jarvis after all three were substituted with knocks against Newcastle, but they should be fit for this game.
  • Matthew Taylor’s recovery from a calf injury is ongoing, but this game might come slightly too early for the midfielder to make a return.
  • Jack Collison (knee), Alou Diarra (thigh) and Ricardo Vaz Te (shoulder) on the long-term injury list.

Stoke:

  • Forward Jonathan Walters (knee) and Glenn Whelan (knee) should be ready to play on Monday after spells on the sideline.
  • The Potters should have midfielder Charlie Adam available after he pulled out of Scotland’s friendly with Luxembourg with a groin injury.
  • Dean Whitehead will serve a one-match ban after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against QPR.
  • Michael Owen missed last week’s clash with the Hoops with his return in doubt for this game but Marc Wilson (ankle) is definitely out.

 

Think you can predict the line-ups Monday’s game? Play our Facebook game ‘The Insider’ and win great prizes, including a copy of Football Manager 2013: PLAY NOW

 

Form Guide (Last 5 Matches)

 

West Ham: L-W-L-D-W                                 Stoke:  D-L-D-L-W

 

 

Head to Head (Last 10 Matches)

 

 

 

WEST HAM

STOKE

WINS

5

3

DRAWS

2

GOALS SCORED

15

8

 

 

The Stats:

  • West Ham have won three and lost just one of their six home games this season in the Premier League.
  • Midfielder Mark Noble has made more tackles than any other player in the Premier League this season, tallying 49 already.
  • West Ham have been victorious four times in the last five games between these two sides at Upton Park.
  • Stoke have won none of their last 15 away matches in the Premier League, scoring just eight goals in that time away from the Britannia Stadium.
  • Dean Whitehead (pictured) has picked up more cards than any other player in the Premier League this season, despite having played just eight games.
  • The Potters’ next win in the Premier League will be their 50th in the competition.

 

Follow Monday’s clash via the PlayUp app – view live commentary, and interact with other fans: CLICK HERE

 

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Blackburn’s decline displays lack of realism from all sides

The world and its dog have descended on Venky’s following Blackburn’s relegation. Yet even as this is being done, I wonder if Blackburn’s fans should not ask some hard questions about their own ambitions. How realistic are they? I can understand their righteous indignation, but is it not time these fans realised that Jack Walker’s millions gave them a vision of paradise which is never going to be repeated?

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Blackburn's success under Jack Walker has distorted expectations at Ewood Park

As the old song went, for one brief moment there was a Camelot. And the Camelot of 1995, when they won the Premiership, is not coming back for Blackburn. They would be much better off having the sort of hard-edged realism that shapes Wigan and its chairman. Continue reading →

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Loyalty the key as Wigan secure their Premier League status

The relationship between Martinez and Whelan was the key to Wigan's survival, writes PlayUp Nico.

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For the second season in succession Roberto Martinez has guided Wigan Athletic away from relegation, enhancing his growing reputation in the process. The 38 year olds’ man management skills have motivated his squad whose unity was evident as Antolin Alcaraz headed home the winner in last night’s game.

Unlike last this time last year, Wigan can approach their final game of the season against Wolves knowing that Premier League football is guaranteed. Nonetheless, their league standing reflects a stop-start season which has included two horrendous winless streaks, the first of which saw them lose nine games in a row (in all competitions) between mid-September and November. Continue reading →

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