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

The home side are currently seventh in the table, just one point behind sixth-placed Oxford United, while Wigan sit down in 18th position, only six points ahead of the relegation zone.

Match preview

Barnsley finished fourth in League One last season following their relegation from the Championship at the end of the 2021-22 campaign, but they were beaten 1-0 by Sheffield Wednesday in the playoff final.

The Tykes are therefore again competing in the third tier of English football, but it has been a solid-enough campaign to date, boasting a record of 12 wins, six draws and five defeats from their 23 matches to collect 42 points, which has left them in seventh spot in the table.

Neill Collins's side are only one point from sixth-placed Oxford United, with a game in hand, while they are six points ahead of eighth-placed Blackpool, who have actually played two games more.

Barnsley are on a seven-game unbeaten run in League One, which has included four wins, but they will enter this match off the back of a 2-2 draw at Peterborough United on Friday.

The Tykes have actually only picked up 17 points at home this season, with Collins's team proving to be a better on their travels in 2023-24, collecting 25 points away from Oakwell this term.

Wigan, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 2-0 win over Carlisle United on Friday, which ended a three-game losing run in the third tier of English football.

Josh Magennis sent the hosts ahead in the 16th minute of the contest before Liam Morrison doubled their advantage in the 36th minute, and the victory was the team's first in the league since the end of November.

Shaun Maloney's side were relegated from the Championship last season in 24th position, and they started this season on minus eight points due to financial problems.

Wigan have won 10, drawn four and lost 10 of their 24 League One matches this term, and 34 points at this stage of the season would have left them in ninth position, but they are instead down in 18th on 26 points, only six points clear of the relegation zone.

The Latics have won just three of their 12 away league matches this season, while they suffered a 2-0 loss to Barnsley when the two teams locked horns in the reverse game earlier this term.

Barnsley League One form:

W

W

D

W

W

D

Barnsley form (all competitions):

L

W

D

W

W

D

Wigan Athletic League One form:

W

D

L

L

L

W

Wigan Athletic form (all competitions):

W

D

L

L

L

W

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Team News

Barnsley head coach Collins will need to assess the fitness of his squad following the 2-2 draw with Peterborough on Friday, but no fresh issues have been reported at this stage.

The Tykes actually led 2-0 in Peterborough before being pegged back, but it might be a case of same again in terms of team selection, with Devante Cole featuring in the final third of the field.

Cole has been in excellent form this season, finding the back of the net on 13 times in League One, and the 28-year-old is set to be partnered with John McAtee, who has six league goals to his name this term.

As for Wigan, head coach Maloney is unlikely to make many changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle of the two-goal success over Carlisle.

However, there could be an alteration in a wide area, with Jordan Jones potentially being introduced in place of Stephen Humphrys, who was taken off in the early stages of the second half against Carlisle.

Magennis is again expected to be given the nod in the final third of the field here, while Liam Shaw and Scott Smith should retain their spots in the starting XI for the visitors.

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Roberts; Williams, De Gevigney, Dodgson; O'Keeffe, Phillips, Connell, Kane, Styles; McAtee, Cole

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:

Tickle; Clare, Morrison, Hughes, Sessegnon; Shaw, S Smith; J Smith, Aasgaard, Jones; Magennis

We say: Barnsley 1-0 Wigan Athletic

Wigan will have gained huge confidence from their much-needed win over Carlisle, but Barnsley are in excellent form at the moment, and we are therefore struggling to back the visitors to secure a positive result on Monday, with the home side likely to have too much at Oakwell.

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