Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s League One clash between Wigan Athletic and Mansfield Town, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Both Wigan Athletic and Mansfield Town will be hoping to swiftly recover from defeats when they go head-to-head at the DW Stadium in League One on Tuesday night.
The hosts lost 2-0 to Cambridge United on Saturday, while the visitors suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to Stevenage on the same day.
Match preview
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Wigan were unbeaten in seven straight games across all competitions heading into their last match against Cambridge, not conceding a single goal for over 540 minutes across the last six matches, and boasting the best defence in League One having conceded five goals at the time.
However, the Latics saw all of these runs end as they could not find a response to two first-half goals, despite having 68% possession in the game.
Despite putting together an unbeaten run of six straight games in League One, Shaun Maloney‘s side are in 17th place with 13 points, as four of those games ended in goalless draws.
Now five points behind the top seven, Wigan’s next game is against high-flying Mansfield Town, though their recent record against the visitors is impressive, leaving room for optimism.
The Latics have won their last four matches against the visitors heading into Tuesday’s contest, with two of those wins coming at the DW Stadium, a place where they have also been solid recently, remaining unbeaten in their last four league matches there, without conceding a goal in those matches.
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After only earning promotion from League Two last season, Mansfield’s early-season form suggests that they are ready to compete for a promotion spot to the Championship in this campaign.
The Stags are fourth in the League One table, having picked up 20 points from 10 matches, winning six, while drawing and losing two each, which has left them five points behind the leaders Birmingham City.
However, Nigel Clough‘s side saw their run of five straight league wins come to an end on Saturday as they failed to respond to going behind in the 32nd minute, picking up a first home defeat of the season.
Though their record against Tuesday’s hosts is not great, it is important to note that the most recent meeting between them took place over 20 years in 2003, and the Stags would be confident given that they have won their last two away matches heading into this clash.
Wigan Athletic League One form:
Wigan Athletic form (all competitions):
Mansfield Town League One form:
Mansfield Town form (all competitions):
Team News
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Maloney has revealed that Wigan will be without the quartet of Luke Chambers, Callum McManaman, Jonny Smith and Jensen Weir for Tuesday’s game.
Weir left the field midway through the first half of Saturday’s defeat to Cambridge and has been confirmed to have picked up an ankle injury, while McManaman will be out until November.
However, 21-year-old Irish midfielder Baba Adeeko will be back in the squad.
For Mansfield, Will Evans, who has scored four times in 10 league appearances this season, is once again expected to be joined in the attacking positions by Hiram Boateng, with Ben Waine also likely making a return to the starting XI.
Thirty-three-year-old defender Jordan Bowery could also make a return to the back three, after being a substitute in the previous game.
Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:
Tickle; Carragher, Kerr, Aimson, Ramsay; M. Smith; Thomas, Rankine, Aasgard, Olakigbe; Taylor
Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:
Pym; Bowery, Oshilaja, Williams; Hewitt, Reed, Quinn, McLaughlin; Evans, Boateng, Waine
We say: Wigan Athletic 1-1 Mansfield Town
Wigan are a solid defensive side, and it would not be surprising to see them hold out for another goalless draw on Tuesday night. However, Mansfield are one of the best attacking sides in the league, and we think this might influence the game, though we are predicting a draw in the end.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.