MX23RW : Wednesday, December 18 01:57:44| >> :600:337823:337823:
[monks data]
Sheffield Wednesday logo
Championship
Nov 29, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Wigan logo

2-1

May (27', 71')
FT(HT: 1-1)
McCann (26')

Preview: Sheffield Wednesday vs. Wigan Athletic

Sports Mole looks ahead to Saturday's Championship clash between Sheffield Wednesday and Wigan at Hillsborough.

Malky Mackay will resume his search for a maiden win as Wigan Athletic manager when he faces his first away game as boss against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

The Latics fought to a 1-1 draw against high-flying Middlesbrough in his first match in the dugout, with the off-field controversies surrounding his appointment failing to dampen the supporters' enthusiasm towards their new boss.

Matters off the pitch continue to make the headlines as far as Wigan are concerned, however, with chairman Dave Whelan this week being charged by the FA for anti-Semitic comments.

In truth, things aren't much better on the field. Wigan are languishing just one place off the bottom of the table despite going into the season among the favourites to gain promotion to the Premier League.

It is now four games without a win for the Latics, while they have won just once since August, so Mackay's first victory at the club cannot come soon enough.

Wigan have only won once away from home all season, but have beaten Sheffield Wednesday three times in a row and have never conceded a goal against them in the league.

Scoring goals has been the issue for the Owls this season, with just 12 from their 18 games so far - the joint lowest tally in the Football League alongside Blackpool.

Just one of those goals have come in their last seven games, while they are now without a win in their last 11 matches in all competitions.

On the other hand, only Middlesbrough can better Wednesday's defensive record this season. Stuart Gray's side have conceded just 14 times, meaning that their 18 league games have seen only 26 goals overall.

A goalless draw with Huddersfield Town last time out was the Owls' ninth clean sheet of the campaign, and only Plymouth Argyle have kept more in the Football League this season.

Gray must decide whether to stick with misfiring strikers Stevie May and Gary Taylor-Fletcher, but he is unlikely to risk Caolan Lavery from the start this weekend as the forward continues his recovery from injury.

Sheff Weds:

Recent form: DDDLDD

Possible starting lineup: Westwood; Palmer, Lees, Loovens, Helan; Drenthe, Semedo, McGugan, Maghoma; May, Nuhiu

Wigan:

Recent form: DWDLLD

Possible starting lineup: Carson; Boyce, Ramis, Barnett, Taylor; McCann, Forshaw, Espinoza; McManaman, Fortune, Maloney

Sports Mole says: 0-1


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Written by
Barney Corkhill
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Manager Chris Powell of Huddersfield Town gestures during Sky Bet Championship match between Leeds United and Huddersfield Town at Elland Road Stadium on September 20, 2014
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd21145230111945
2Leeds UnitedLeeds21126337152242
3Burnley2111822681841
4Sunderland21117332171540
5Blackburn RoversBlackburn2011452517837
6Middlesbrough21104735251034
7Watford2010462926334
8West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom2171132416832
9Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds218582630-429
10Swansea CitySwansea217682322127
11Bristol City216962626027
12Norwich CityNorwich216873632426
13Millwall206772018225
14Derby CountyDerby216692626024
15Coventry CityCoventry216692730-324
16Preston North EndPreston2141162127-623
17Stoke CityStoke215792328-522
18Queens Park RangersQPR2141072127-622
19Luton TownLuton2164112337-1422
20Oxford UnitedOxford Utd2046102133-1218
21Cardiff CityCardiff2046101932-1318
22Portsmouth193882134-1317
23Plymouth ArgylePlymouth2045111942-2317
24Hull City2137111930-1116


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