Week 23 – Monday – Sport Grill

Wigan Athletic host Sheffield United in Monday Night Football at DW Stadium. 

Victory would lift Wigan out of the relegation zone and up to 19th in the table, whilst Sheffield Utd can move back to within three points of leaders – Burnley with a win.

Team News

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Wigan have no fresh injury concerns to report after their 1-1 draw at Millwall last weekend.

Tom Pearce (ankle) and Ryan Nyambe (knee) are doubts but Jason Kerr (knee) remains absent.

Sheffield Utd also have no fresh injury concerns to report following their narrow win over Huddersfield.

Jack O’Connell, Ismaila Coulibaly (both knee), Rhys Norrington-Davies, Rhian Brewster (both hamstring), John Fleck (leg) and Daniel Jebbison (ligament) remain ruled out.

Stat Attack

• Wigan are unbeaten in three of their last five meetings against Sheffield United (W2, D1, L2).
• Sheffield Utd have lost just one of their last six visits to Wigan in all competitions (W2, D3, L1).
• Wigan have conceded three goals in each of their last two home matches against Sheffield Utd (D1, L1).
• Wigan have conceded seven goals in their last four home matches (W1, L3).
• Paul Heckingbottom’s Blades have kept clean sheets in their last three away matches (W3), during which they scored four goals.

Prediction

With new manager, Kolo Toure in charge, Wigan are still in a transitional phrase but the Latics can take heart from an aggressive attacking performance, in which they mainly played out of defence who also defended well except for poor marking of Zian Flemming’s goal at Millwall.

Sheffield Utd meanwhile were clinical against Huddersfield in a game where they simply were wasteful amidst some solid defending, although it was their first game back after a month out so I do expect them to improve here.

The DW Stadium also has been a favourable away ground for the Blades but they should be wary of what Wigan will throw at them, especially now that the Latics have had one match under their belt with Toure in charge so I do expect them to evolve and look to cause issues for the promotion chasers.

Prediction: Wigan 0-1 Sheffield United