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Match Analysis: Wigan Athletic 1-0 Leeds United

Sports Mole picks apart Wigan Athletic's narrow victory over struggling Leeds United in the Championship's lunchtime kickoff.

Wigan Athletic cemented their place in the Championship's top six by inflicting a fourth straight league defeat on Leeds United this lunchtime.

Martyn Waghorn scored the only goal of the game in the 33rd minute in what was a gritty game with few clear-cut chances.

Leeds's fans may have been disappointed at the performance of their side but news has emerged since the final whistle that Massimo Cellino's appeal has been given approval on appeal.

Below, Sports Mole picks apart today's game at the DW Stadium.

Match statistics

Wigan
Shots: 10
On target: 3
Possession: 50%
Corners: 2
Fouls: 7

Leeds
Shots: 8
On target: 1
Possession: 50%
Corners: 3
Fouls: 6

Was the result fair?

Not really, no. Neither side at all deserved to take all three points today and a draw would have been the right outcome.

Wigan's performance

Although Uwe Rosler will be pleased that his side ended their three-game winless run, he won't be happy with today's display. The Latics were lucky to come up against perhaps the least confident team in the whole division and only came through thanks to Waghorn's shot, which should have been easily saved by Jack Butland. Everywhere else on the pitch, it was a dogged display, but nothing more, from Rosler's men as they just about coped with Leeds's toothless attack.

Leeds's performance

The news that Cellino has won his appeal will be a huge boost to the club and after their recent run of terrible form, you have to wonder if the Italian will sack Brian McDermott, like he did when he first agreed to purchase the club. Today's performance was again flat and McDermott must wonder what has happened to his playoff-chasing side from earlier this season. Butland should have saved Waghorn's shot, but aside from the goal Wigan rarely threatened. Unfortunately, Leeds were even more useless going forward and must wonder where their next goal is going to come from after just two goals in their last four games.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Emmerson Boyce: None of the 22 on the pitch really deserved man of the match but if you had to pick one you might side with Boyce, who was reliable at the back, restricting Leeds to almost no chances.

Biggest gaffe

Jordi Gomez should have put the result beyond doubt late on but sliced his left-footed shot well wide of the target.

Referee performance

Neil Swarbrick didn't have a good game. He set an early precedent for giving out cheap yellow cards and then struggled to control what was a hot-headed game. By his early standards, there should have been perhaps three red cards but he appeared to bottle it.

What next?

Wigan: Next up for the Latics is another seemingly easy home game against lowly Millwall on Tuesday night. Rosler could rest a number of players as next weekend it's the FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal.

Leeds: McDermott's men, meanwhile, travel to Watford in three days' time.

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Brian McDermott. manager of Leeds United looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United at Hillsborough Stadium on January 11, 2014
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Live Commentary: Wigan 1-0 Leeds - as it happened
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