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Preview: Wycombe Wanderers vs. Wigan Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 10 March 2024, 13:55
Both Wycombe Wanderers and Wigan Athletic will be bidding to make it back-to-back victories in the third tier of English football when they lock horns for an intriguing contest on Tuesday night.

The home side, who are 15th in the table, will enter the contest off the back of a 2-1 victory over Reading, while 13th-placed Wigan were 1-0 winners over Leyton Orient last time out.

Match preview

Wycombe made it two wins from their last three League One matches on Saturday afternoon when they recorded a 2-1 victory over Reading, with Beryly Lubala netting the game's deciding goal in the 88th minute.

The Blues have won 11, drawn 11 and lost 14 of their 36 league matches this season to collect 44 points, which has left them in 15th position in the table, 10 points clear of the relegation zone.

Matt Bloomfield's side have won six, drawn six and lost six of their 18 home league matches this season, and they will be hosting a Wigan side that have picked up 20 points from their 18 games on their travels.

Wycombe have lost their last two games against Wigan, including a 1-0 defeat in the reverse match earlier this season, so they will be looking to gain some revenge in this contest.

The Blues have spent the last three seasons at League One level following their relegation from the Championship in 2020-21, and they are again set to operate in the third tier during the 2024-25 campaign.

Wigan, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 victory over Leyton Orient on Saturday afternoon, with Jason Kerr netting the only goal of the contest in the 73rd minute.

The Latics were relegated from the Championship last season in 24th position, but they are not in the playoff picture heading towards the business end of the campaign, sitting in 13th spot in the table.

Wigan, who started the season on minus eight points for breaking financial rules, are 14 points behind sixth-placed Stevenage, so it does appear that they will spend at least one more campaign at this level.

Shaun Maloney's side have won three of their last five league games, including back-to-back victories in front of their own supporters, but they have lost two of their last three on their travels.

Wigan recorded a 3-1 victory over Wycombe when the two teams locked horns in the corresponding fixture during the 2021-22 campaign, and they will be bidding to make it a third straight success over the Blues.

Wycombe Wanderers League One form:

L

D

L

W

L

W

Wycombe Wanderers form (all competitions):

D

W

L

W

L

W

Wigan Athletic League One form:

L

W

D

W

L

W

Team News

Wycombe head coach Bloomfield will need to assess the fitness of his players following the clash with Reading, but the team did not appear to suffer any fresh injury concerns.

All three changes that occurred in the second period were for tactical reasons, and there could now be a start in the final third of the field for Sam Vokes.

Lubala has netted twice in eight league appearances since his arrival at the club in January, and the 26-year-old is again set to feature in the front three on Tuesday night.

As for Wigan, head coach Maloney is expected to make a couple of changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Orient on Saturday afternoon.

Charlie Kelman could be introduced in the final third of the field, while Kerr's winning goal off the bench last time out could also earn him a spot in the side on Tuesday night.

Maloney is unlikely to make changes to the three behind the centre-forward, though, with the experienced Callum McManaman set to continue in a wide area here.

Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup:

Ravizzoli; Grimmer, Lonwijk, Tafazolli, Leahy; Scowen, Potts, Butcher; McCleary, Lubala, Vokes

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:

Tickle; Smith, Hughes, Kerr, Chambers; Smith, Adeeko; McManaman, Aasgaard, Jones; Kelman

We say: Wycombe Wanderers 1-2 Wigan Athletic

Wycombe have won two of their last three in League One, but they were beaten 4-2 by Barnsley in their last home match, and Wigan certainly have the quality to triumph on Tuesday evening. We are expecting a close match but believe that the visitors will navigate their way to all three points.

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