Wiganvs.Huddersfield

The visitors sit just two points above seventh spot after falling short away from home on Saturday, while their hosts find themselves 16th in the midst of a five-match winless streak.

Match preview

Wigan Athletic return to League Two action on Tuesday aiming to end a five-match unbeaten streak after an encouraging result at the weekend.

After overcoming a points deduction to finish 12th in England's third tier last time around, the Latics have failed to kick into gear so far this season, currently sitting 16th with just 36 points on the board from 31 outings.

In those games, Shaun Maloney's side have suffered 13 defeats while picking up nine victories, with the most recent of those coming at home to Bristol Rovers in late January, being just their fourth victory of the season at the Brick Community Stadium with only Burton Albion having picked up fewer points at home than their 16.

Draws against Lincoln City and Crawley Town then followed either side of a 2-0 home defeat to Stockport County, before the Lancashire outfit most recently visited second-placed Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday and took a creditable share of the spoils from a goalless stalemate.

Now sitting eight points outside of the top half and just four above the relegation zone, with the division's second-worst home record and its weakest attacking record, Wigan Athletic will hope to build on the positives of the weekend's away draw and bounce back to winning ways to extend their cushion on Tuesday.

Their visitors, meanwhile, head across to Lancashire aiming to make a return to winning ways of their own in the fight for playoff spots at the top end of the division.

Following a strong start to their bid for an immediate promotion back to the Championship, culminating in a 16-match unbeaten streak, Huddersfield Town saw their automatic promotion hopes take a major hit in a five-match winless run including three straight defeats across late January and early February.

Michael Duff's side were able to return to winning ways away at Yorkshire rivals Barnsley, before making it back-to-back three-point hauls away at Shrewsbury Town last Tuesday thanks to Josh Koroma's goal, at least improving their lead over the top six's chasing pack.

Strugglers Peterborough United then visited the John Smith's Stadium on Saturday, but Duff's men failed to make it three victories on the bounce as Hector Kyprianou netted the only goal to condemn the Terriers to a ninth league defeat of the campaign.

Still sitting fifth in League One, but now trailing the top two by nine points and only leading seventh-placed Charlton Athletic and eighth-placed Bolton Wanderers by two, Huddersfield Town will be desperate to get their promotion bid back on track with a return to winning ways on Tuesday.

Wigan Athletic League One form:

W

L

D

L

D

D

Wigan Athletic form (all competitions):

L

D

L

L

D

D

Huddersfield Town League One form:

L

L

D

W

W

L

Team News

Wigan Athletic continue to deal with several enforced absences heading into Tuesday's contest, with James Carragher, Dion Rankine, Kai Payne, Luke Chambers, Matt Smith and Tyrese Francois all having missed the weekend's draw, and they should all be ruled out again.

Shaun Maloney should field a similar starting XI from that stalemate against Wycombe, with Toby Sibbick, Jason Kerr, Will Aimson and Jon Mellish bound to continue in a back four, while Oliver Norburn and Jensen Weir should again partner up in the midfield.

Jonny Smith could replace Joseph Hungbo on the wing from the outset, having entered the fray at half time on Saturday, while Ronan Darcy should again support attacker Dale Taylor, who has netted seven and assisted seven of the Latics' 28 league goals this term, nine of which were also scored by January departure Thelo Aasgaard.

Huddersfield Town continue to deal with several injuries of their own, as attackers Joe Taylor, Danny Ward and Rhys Healey are sidelined alongside defenders Mickel Miller, Matty Pearson and Tom Lees, while Radinio Balker was also forced off in the first half of their defeat to Peterborough United.

In the likely continued absence of Lees, Pearson and Balker, Oliver Turton may have to deputise alongside Nigel Lonwijk, who made his return after an injury layoff of his own at the weekend, while Antony Evans and Joe Hodge will compete for midfield spots.

Dion Charles will hope for a start in attack, as he searches for a first goal for the Terriers since his January move from Bolton Wanderers, but Duff may stick with the pair of Josh Koroma and Callum Marshall.

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:

Tickle; Sibbick, Kerr, Aimson, Mellish; Norburn, Weir; J Smith, Darcy, Dale; Taylor

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Nicholls; Sorensen, Turton, Lonwijk, Ruffels; Evans, Kasumu, Hodge, Chirewa; Marshall, Koroma

We say: Wigan Athletic 0-1 Huddersfield Town

Written by

Sam Varley

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