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

The Latics' Good Friday fixture with Sheffield United ended in a 1-0 defeat, while the net did not ripple once in Swansea's goalless stalemate with Coventry City.

Match preview

Few expected Wigan to pull off the shock of all Championship shocks during their visit to Bramall Lane on Friday, where an eighth-minute Iliman Ndiaye strike had seemingly opened the floodgates for a glut of Blades goals.

However, Shaun Maloney's side were able to keep the scoreline respectable thanks to several episodes of heroic last-ditch defending, although that one-goal defeat ended a brief three-game unbeaten run that had somewhat cancelled out a three-point deduction for failing to pay player salaries.

The fat lady is not singing just yet, but Maloney's men remain rooted to the foot of the division - eight points worse off than Queens Park Rangers in the safety of 21st place - and Wigan have just six games remaining to save their second-tier bacon.

An absence of ruthlessness in the final third was bemoaned by Maloney at Bramall Lane, but such attacking woes are nothing new for Wigan, who have as many goals as they have points this season (34, the worst tally in the Championship), and they have not scored more than once in a game since November's 2-1 win over Blackpool.

The Latics will at least bring a five-game unbeaten home run into Monday's showdown - winning two and drawing three in front of the DW Stadium faithful - and Swansea did not exactly bring their best shooting boots with them to Friday's fixtures either.

There was no shortage of goalmouth action at the Swansea.com Stadium as Russell Martin's side and Coventry City locked horns, but the hosts could not convert 65% possession into anything meaningful as they shook hands on a slice of the spoils.

While understandably ruing his side's missed chances on the day, Martin cut a relatively upbeat figure at the full-time whistle and reserved special praise for goalkeeper Andy Fisher, who responded to recent costly mistakes with a man-of-the-match display in South Wales.

Now with a three-game unbeaten run to protect, Swansea travel to Wigan entrenched in 15th place in the standings, safely nine points clear of the drop zone but 11 adrift of a far-fetched late playoff charge, so consolidation is now the main aim for the Swans.

Martin's side have had little to shout about on the road all season long, though, as they have won just two of their last 14 Championship fixtures away from home - one of which came against Cardiff City earlier this month - and they are without a clean sheet in nine games on rival turf.

Wigan failed to hold on to a 2-0 lead during their meeting with Swansea earlier this season, as Martin's men roared back to draw 2-2 and extend their unbeaten run against the Latics to nine matches since a 2-0 loss in the last 16 of the 2010-11 EFL Cup.

Wigan Athletic Championship form:

L

L

D

D

W

L

Swansea City Championship form:

L

L

L

W

W

D

Team News

Wigan were dealt an untimely fresh injury blow before the defeat to Sheffield United, as Norwich City loanee Danel Sinani is out for between four and five weeks with a hamstring issue sustained in last weekend's success over QPR.

Jason Kerr and Martin Kelly are keeping Sinani company in the treatment bay with their long-term knee concerns, although Jordan Cousins was fit enough to turn out for the Under-21s on Friday.

Arsenal loanee Omar Rekik ought to hold his place despite being brought off in the first half against the Blades, but Ashley Fletcher will be fearing for his place up front as Will Keane eyes a swift return.

Meanwhile, only two beds are taken up in the Swansea medical bay at present, as goalkeeping duo Steven Benda and Archie Matthews remain on the long road to recovery from knee injuries.

Martin otherwise has all of his troops fit and raring to go for Monday's contest and may consider a change here and there, with Jay Fulton and Oliver Cooper both ready to freshen up the midfield.

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:

Amos; Hughes, Rekik, Whatmough; Darikwa, Naylor, Power, McClean; Aasgaard, Lang; Keane

Swansea City possible starting lineup:

Fisher; Darling, Cabango, Wood, Manning; Grimes, Fulton, Cooper; Ntcham; Cullen, Piroe

We say: Wigan Athletic 1-1 Swansea City

The DW turf has been kind to Wigan in recent memory, and a Swansea side who do not tend to travel well cannot be expected to carve the Championship's basement team open at will.

Previews by email