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

The Welsh side are winless in seven league matches, while Wigan have lost four consecutive games and sit rock bottom of the table.

Match preview

Indeed, Cardiff are in a serious rut at present, having not won a competitive match since beating Sunderland 1-0 away from home on November 5.

Mark Hudson's side appeared to be heading for a morale-boosting victory against Leeds United in the FA Cup third round on Sunday, with first-half strikes from Jaden Philogene and Sheyi Ojo providing the Bluebirds with a two-goal half-time lead against their Premier League opponents.

However, Jesse Marsch's side rallied after the break, with substitute Rodrigo giving them hope before Joel Bagan saw red for denying a clear goal by using his hand to divert the ball away from danger. Sonny Perkins' injury-time equaliser ensured that Leeds earned a replay, with a trip to Boreham Wood or Accrington Stanley awaiting next week's winner at Elland Road.

Hudson, who replaced Steve Morison in the managerial dugout in September, will almost certainly be more concerned with guiding Cardiff away from relegation danger having fallen to within two points and two positions of the bottom three ahead of this weekend's action.

With bottom-placed Wigan only four points behind them ahead of Saturday's clash, it is a huge six-pointer and clearly one which the Welsh side will desperately not want to lose.

Wigan, meanwhile, remain winless in six matches under their new head coach Kolo Toure, who replaced Leam Richardson as their manager during the recent World Cup-enforced break in the domestic season.

The former Manchester City defender has improved the Latics offensively, with his side scoring in all six of those matches, but defensively they have clearly regressed under the Ivorian's tutelage having conceded 16 goals across their winless run.

Indeed, 12 of those have been shipped across their last three league games, with Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Hull City all beating the 2013 FA Cup winners by the same scoreline of 4-1.

While their 1-1 draw away to Luton Town in the FA Cup last weekend was a step in the right direction, Toure will have far more interest in improving his side's league form, otherwise he could find himself out of his first senior managerial role quicker than you can sing the famous chant about him and his brother Yaya Toure.

Cardiff City Championship form:

L

D

D

D

D

L

Cardiff City form (all competitions):

D

D

D

D

L

D

Wigan Athletic Championship form:

W

D

L

L

L

L

Wigan Athletic form (all competitions):

D

L

L

L

L

D

Team News

Cardiff will remain without Jamilu Collins, Mahlon Romeo and Kion Etete due to injury, but Hudson will hope to have Callum Robinson, Gavin Whyte and Cedric Kipre available once again after the trio missed their side's draw against Leeds through illness.

Ojo and Philogene will hope that they have earned themselves starting spots after scoring against the Lilywhites, while Andy Rinomhota could start in the engine room.

Wigan, meanwhile, are expected to travel to the Welsh capital without Charlie Hughes, Jason Kerr, Callum Lang and Tom Pearce due to injury.

Will Keane will almost certainly return to the attack after only appearing from the bench against Luton, with the former Ipswich Town striker just one goal away from reaching double figures in the Championship this season.

Cardiff City possible starting lineup:

Allsop; Sang, Ng, Kipre, O'Dowda; Wintle, Ralls, Rinomhota; Philogene, Robinson, Ojo

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:

Jones; Nyambe, Whatmough, Tilt, Bennett; Power, Cousins; Edwards, Keane, McClean; Fletcher

We say: Cardiff City 1-1 Wigan Athletic

With both sides likely to be afraid of losing what could prove to be a relegation six-pointer, we can envisage a low-scoring draw at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday.

The Bluebirds have failed to score in four of their last seven league matches, while Wigan are yet to score twice in any of Toure's six matches in charge, suggesting that goals could come at a premium in this game.

Previews by email