Marcus Braddock looks forward to our trip to the DW Stadium
Happy Christmas everyone! With everyone stuffed with stuffed bird and surrounded by wrapping paper, our thoughts must now focus on our Boxing Day game. There can be no tougher opposition this year than league leaders Wigan Athletic and no tougher time to play them with 19 goals scored in their last five league games and only one conceded. On Saturday they brushed top ten side Oxford aside, winning by seven clear goals and recording their fourth clean sheet in five League One games. For me there is no doubt that this is the most difficult game of the season for us and we'll have to be on top of everything to get anything at their place.
Goalscorers
Nick Powell 10
Will Grigg 10
Michael Jacobs 7
Ivan Toney 6
Assists
Lee Evans 7
Gavin Massey 4
Michael Jacobs 3
Nathan Byrne 3
Clean Sheets
13
Goal Distribution
In home games it's difficult to see a weakness because they've been consistently good so their vulnerabilities are more like small blips. Their worst moments in home games are the first fifteen minutes and the last fifteen minutes of games during which they've conceded four times, two in each period.
They've scored well throughout home games but the middle fifteen minutes of the second half has seen them take a breather and only score once.
Squad News
Wigan Goalkeeper Jamie Jones, defender Craig Morgan and midfielder Shaun MacDonald are all sidelined.
Paul Hurst has no new injury concerns.
Referee - David Webb from Lancashire. Games this season: 22. Yellow Cards: 67. Red cards: 2.
Assistants: Alan Clayton and Christopher Ward
Fourth Official: Thomas Kirk
Summary
As has been mentioned, this is as tough a game as we'll get this season but I can’t imagine that Wigan are relishing playing us after we played earlier in the season and gave them a difficult afternoon. So we need to do what we do best and get in their faces and not let them settle, take the ball and use it to hurt them. If we play like we have done this season, there's more than a chance that we can get something but to be honest, I'd happily take a draw from this one.
COYB!!!
If you fancy joining us on Boxing Day full ticket details are there - Wigan Athletic.