Match Preview: Wigan Athletic vs Manchester United
United
“Wigan are a tough team to play against. They play with a different system to what we’re used to and they play it well.” (Ryan Giggs)
Wayne Rooney, Nani and Anderson will remain on the sidelines. Sir Alex Ferguson should be able to call on the services of Rafael and Phil Jones after injury. After looking jaded in the latter stages against West Brom, Michael Carrick could be rested – Ryan Giggs, Darren Fletcher and Paul Scholes will be on standby. Nemanja Vidic and Shinji Kagawa unlikely to play 2 games in quick succession on return from injury. Javier Hernandez likely to start.
Predicted line-up: De Gea, Rafael, Jones, Evans, Evra, Valencia, Fletcher, Scholes, Young, Hernandez, Van Persie
Away record: P10 W7 D1 L2 F22 A15 Pts22
Away form: W W L W W D
Wigan
“The result and performance against Aston Villa (3-0 win) has given us a real sense of confidence in ourselves and this is an opportunity to show what we can do.” (Roberto Martinez)
Antolin Alcaraz, Adrian Lopez and Ben Watson remain out. Ryo Miyaichi and Albert Crusat also miss out. Ivan Ramis and Franco Di Santo returned against Aston Villa and are fit again. James McCarthy, Emerson Boyce and Ali Al-Habsi are all ever-presents this season. Likely to stick with team which won so impressively at the weekend. Will play a variation of the 3-4-3 formation manager Roberto Martinez favours.
Predicted line-up: Al-Habsi, Ramis, Caldwell, Figueroa, Boyce, McCarthy, Jones, Beausejour, Kone, Di Santo, Maloney
Home record: P10 W2 D3 L5 F13 A18 Pts9
Home form: W L W L D L
Manager: Roberto Martinez
Stadium: The DW Stadium (25,133 capacity)
Recent meetings at The DW Stadium: Wigan 1-0 United (11-04-12), Wigan 0-4 United (26-02-11), Wigan 0-5 United (22-08-09), Wigan 1-2 United (13-05-09), Wigan 0-2 United (11-05-08)
Referee: Andre Marriner. 41 yellow cards in 11 EPL games. No red cards or penalties awarded.
2012/13 head-to-head
Goals: (Wigan) 22 – (United) 50
Conceded: 35 – 28
Top scorer: Kone (6) – van Persie (14)
Assists: Kone (5) – Rooney (7)
Disciplinary: 36 yellows, 2 reds – 34 yellows, 0 reds
Shots per game: 12.3 – 15.9
Average possession: 54% – 58.9%
Pass success rate: 82.9% – 87.1%
Best passer: James McCarthy (56.6 per game/88.3%) – Michael Carrick (84.5 per games/88.5%)
Most appearances: McCarthy, Boyce, Al-Habsi (20) – Evra, Carrick (19)
Wigan Athletic vs Manchester United Betting Preview Here
Notes
Wayne Rooney has a club record 10 goals in 15 appearances versus the Latics.
Last season’s 1-0 defeat is the only time United have lost to Wigan in 16 encounters. In all, United have plundered 50 goals against the Latics, earning 42 out of a possible 45 points.
United average just over 3 goals per games against Wigan.
Young Chilean striker Angelo Henriquez looks set to join Wigan on loan in the January transfer window. He will join the likes of Antonio Valencia and Tom Cleverley as United players to have spent time at the Lancashire club.
Wigan have conceded an average of just under 2 goals (1.8) per game at home. United average just over 2 goals (2.2) per game on the road.
United have an 85.71% win percentage at the DW (/JJB) Stadium.
Score prediction: Wigan Athletic 0-3 United
