In Shaun Maloney's 100th game as boss, Wigan Athletic are set to host Gareth Ainsworth's relegation-threatened Shrewsbury Town at the Brick Community Stadium on Saturday in League One.
Wigan come into the clash with confidence after a derby victory over Bolton Wanderers last time out, while Shrewsbury are on a run of three straight defeats.
Match preview
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Wigan are currently 16th in League One, having earned 23 points from their 19 matches so far.
Most recently, Latics' 2-0 away victory over Bolton on December 14 ended a three-game losing streak for Maloney's side that stretched back to late November.
Despite the two teams' drastically differing ambitions this season, Wigan deserved all three points with a performance that forced five saves from Trotters goalkeeper Nathan Baxter, and it is fair to say that they could have scored more given they missed three big chances.
That match also gave Wigan their ninth clean sheet of the league season, and boss Maloney will be pleased with the fact that his side's defensive resilience means only Wrexham have conceded fewer than the Latics this term.
However, more broadly, Wigan are just four points above Crawley Town, who are the first team in the relegation zone, and fans will hope that the confidence boost from a win over their rivals can help the team pick up important points this weekend.
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Meanwhile, Shrewsbury are bottom of the table with 11 points from their 19 matches, 10 points behind 20th-placed Bristol Rovers, who are the first team safe from the drop.
Ainsworth's side are in dire form and have registered just two wins in all competitions since their victory over Leyton Orient in late August.
To make matters worse, the Shrews have lost 14 matches since that game and have drawn just two, meaning that their 3-2 win over Birmingham City on November 23 is the only match they have not lost in their last 10.
Most recently, Shrewsbury lost 4-1 at home to Ainsworth's old side Wycombe Wanderers in the league, though some may argue that this result was to be expected given that the Chairboys are currently top of the table.
However, that result followed on from another 4-1 loss - against fellow relegation candidates Cambridge United.
This weekend, Ainsworth's side will be up against one of the league's best defences, and given their own defensive record is the worst in the division, they will have to rely on their forwards to produce if they are to secure a positive result.
Team News
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Wigan boss Maloney confirmed that Liverpool loanee Luke Chambers is set to return to the Latics in January to continue his rehab from an ongoing back injury, and the youngster may even be match ready by late February.
In the meantime, Steven Sessegnon is likely to start at left-back on Saturday, with Will Aimson, Jason Kerr and Toby Sibbick making up the rest of the defence.
As for Shrewsbury, forward Joshua Kayode may make a return to the squad this weekend as he continues to build fitness following an injury that has kept him out since August.
However, Carl Winchester is a doubt for the trip to Wigan due to a knock, though the manager suggested he could still participate in some form if he can train in time.
The Shrews have also been linked to defender Jason McCarthy, whom Ainsworth has signed several times in the past, but Morgan Feeney and Aaron Pierre can be expected to continue in the backline for now.
Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:
Tickle; Sibbick, Kerr, Aimson, Sessegnon; Adeeko, M Smith; J Smith, Aasgaard, Thomas; Taylor
Shrewsbury Town possible starting lineup:
Savin; Hoole, Feeney, Pierre, Benning; Gilliead, Rossiter, Castledine, Perry; Bloxham, Marquis
We say: Wigan Athletic 2-0 Shrewsbury Town
Wigan's victory over their rivals should see them come into this weekend's clash with renewed confidence, and their defensive resilience should prevent Shrewsbury from finding the back of the net.
Additionally, given the Shrews' own poor defensive record, it is difficult to see anything other than a comfortable victory for Latics on Saturday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
