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Played
September 22, 2012 3:00 PM BST
The DW Stadium — Wigan
Referee:‬ L. Probert‎
Attendance:‬ 19284‎
 
90+1′ Arouna Kone
Hugo Rodallega 31′
 
Damien Duff 68′

Wigan - Fulham Preview: Latics aim to record their first win in 12 attempts over Martin Jol's side

The west London outfit are looking to build on their 3-0 win over West Brom last weekend and face a home side short on confidence after a drubbing at Manchester United

By Andy Sixsmith

More On :  Fulham, Wigan Athletic, Wigan Athletic vs Fulham
EPL - Fulham vs West Bromwich, Dimitar Berbatov & Jonas Olsson
Getty
  PROBABLE LINEUPS

WIGAN

Al-Habsi
Caldwell, Boyce, Ramis, Figueroa
McCarthy, Maloney, McArthur, Beausejour
Kone, Di Santo
FULHAM
 
Schwarzer
Riise, Hangeland, Baird, Hughes
Riether, Sidwell, Duff, Kacaniklic
Berbatov, Rodallega

There are no fresh injury worries for Roberto Martinez following the club’s 4-0 defeat against Manchester United last Saturday.

Antolin Alcaraz should make his comeback from a hip injury, but may have to settle for a place on the bench, due to the form of summer signing, Ivan Ramis.

Saturday’s match could very well be a case of, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ for Martin Jol as he is set to name an unchanged team from the 3-0 defeat of West Brom.

The match could come too soon for the returns of Bryan Ruiz and Phillippe Senderos, but new midfield signing Giorgos Karagounis is pushing for a start.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Wigan’s recent home form could help them to defy their dismal record against Fulham – Roberto Martinez’s men have lost just one of their last seven Premier League home games.
  • Expect a penalty on Saturday – Wigan have conceded more spot-kicks than any other Premier League side in 2012 with 11 so far.
  • However, scoring may be a problem for the Latics on Saturday – they have only netted eight times in 14 games against Fulham and never more than once in any of those matches.
  • The game sees Hugo Rodallega make his return to the DW Stadium – the Fulham summer signing scored 23 goals in 112 appearances for Wigan.
  • Fulham are the epitome of a ‘bogey team’ for Wigan – the Latics have not beaten the Cottagers in their last 11 games between the two.
  • Do not expect a draw on Saturday - Fulham have not drawn a Premier League away game in 2012, winning three and losing eight.
  • Ali Al-Habsi (pictured right) may be a busy goalkeeper on Saturday - Fulham have had more shots on target than any other team in the Premier League, with 34.
  • Fulham have only conceded six goals this season, all of which have come before half-time.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Wigan Athletic 1-2 Fulham
    17.12 %
  • Wigan Athletic 0-2 Fulham
    13.62 %
  • Wigan Athletic 1-3 Fulham
    10.9 %
Head to Head
Premier League ‎(EPL)‎ 12 Jan 2013 Fulham 1 - Wigan Athletic 1
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Premier League ‎(EPL)‎ 22 Sep 2012 Wigan Athletic 1 - Fulham 2
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Premier League ‎(EPL)‎ 21 Apr 2012 Fulham 2 - Wigan Athletic 1
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Premier League ‎(EPL)‎ 29 Oct 2011 Wigan Athletic 0 - Fulham 2
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Premier League ‎(EPL)‎ 15 Jan 2011 Wigan Athletic 1 - Fulham 1
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Last Five Matches
Wigan Athletic
19 May 2013Wigan Athletic 2 - Aston Villa 2EPL
14 May 2013Arsenal FC 4 - Wigan Athletic 1EPL
11 May 2013Manchester City 0 - Wigan Athletic 1FA
7 May 2013Wigan Athletic 2 - Swansea City 3EPL
4 May 2013West Bromwich Albion 2 - Wigan Athletic 3EPL
Fulham
19 May 2013Swansea City 0 - Fulham 3EPL
12 May 2013Fulham 1 - Liverpool 3EPL
4 May 2013Fulham 2 - Reading 4EPL
27 Apr 2013Everton 1 - Fulham 0EPL
20 Apr 2013Fulham 0 - Arsenal FC 1EPL
Odds
Returns: Wigan £1510.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Draw £410.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Fulham £30.00 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Team News
Available Squads
26Ali Al HabsiGoalkeeper
5Gary CaldwellDefender
17Emmerson BoyceDefender
21Iván RamisDefender
31Maynor FigueroaDefender
4James McCarthyMidfielder
8Ben WatsonMidfielder
14Jordi GómezMidfielder
22Jean BeausejourMidfielder
2Arouna KoneStriker
10Shaun MaloneyStriker
12Mike PollittGoalkeeper
6David JonesMidfielder
7Albert CrusatMidfielder
16James McArthurMidfielder
15Callum McManamanStriker
-Mauro BoselliStriker
31Ryo MiyaichiStriker
1Mark SchwarzerGoalkeeper
7John Arne RiiseDefender
5Brede HangelandDefender
6Chris BairdDefender
18Aaron HughesDefender
20Sascha RietherMidfielder
4Steve SidwellMidfielder
16Damien DuffMidfielder
31Alexander KacaniklicMidfielder
9Dimitar BerbatovStriker
20Hugo RodallegaStriker
-David StockdaleGoalkeeper
2Stephen KellyDefender
28Matthew BriggsDefender
10Pajtim KasamiMidfielder
26Giorgos KaragounisMidfielder
10Mladen PetricStriker
11Bryan RuizStriker
Players to Watch
Franco Di Santo
Franco Di Santo
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 9
Games Goals YC RC
35 5 5 0
Franco Di Santo had a sticky start to his Wigan career. Often deployed as a lone target man, the Argentine’s goal return was anything but that expected of a Premier League striker, scoring a solitary goal in 25 league appearances in the 2010/11 campaign.

Last season saw the 23-year-old begin to hit his straps, increasing his goal tally to seven and also coming up with some vital assists to keep Hugo Rodellega out of the starting line-up.

Di Santo has already netted twice this season, opening the scoring in the campaign’s curtain raising 2-0 defeat of Southampton and Wigan fans will be looking for more of the same on Saturday.
Dimitar Berbatov
Dimitar Berbatov
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 9
Games Goals YC RC
33 15 1 0
Dimitar Berbatov represents one of the club’s greatest signings and at a fee rumoured to be around £2 million, the Bulgarian came at a snip in the current transfer market.

The former Tottenham and Manchester United striker is a mercurial talent, as adept as a support striker as he is in the target man role and has provided goals and assists at every club he has played for.

And he has continued that trend at Fulham, opening his account on his home debut with a pair of strikes in the recent 3-0 win over West Brom.

The Latics’ defence will have to be on top form to stop a Bulgarian with a point to prove.
Prediction
Fulham are two points ahead of Saturday’s opponents in the league and after their impressive 3-0 win against West Brom last week, are a team riding high on confidence.

With Wigan failing to beat the London side in their last 11 league encounters and a draw an unlikely result with Fulham around in 2012, expect the away team to come away with a narrow victory from the DW Stadium.

Throw into that the influence of Dimitar Berbatov and Wigan are certainly facing an uphill challenge to get anything out of Saturday’s clash.
Editor's Prediction
Wigan 0
Fulham 2
Results
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