Goal.com - Home

thumbnail Hello,
BT Group
 
Played
January 12, 2013 3:00 PM GMT
Craven Cottage — London
Referee:‬ M. Clattenburg‎
Attendance:‬ 25442‎
 

Fulham - Wigan Preview: Latics back in relegation scrap following one win in eight

Roberto Martinez's men are on a poor run but will travel to London eyeing a good result with Martin Jol's side having won just one one of their last seven at Craven Cottage

By Arthur Virgo

More On :  Fulham, Wigan Athletic, Fulham vs Wigan Athletic
  PROBABLE LINEUPS

FULHAM
Fulham
Stockdale
Riether, Hughes, Hangeland, Briggs
Dejagah, Sidwell, Karagounis, Kacaniklic
Ruiz, Berbatov
WIGAN
  Wigan Athletic
Al-Habsi
Ramis, Caldwell, Figueroa
Boyce, McCarthy, McArthur, Beausejour
Gomez, Di Santo, Maloney

Martin Jol is still without first-choice goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer (neck), so David Stockdale will continue in goal, although John Arne Riise (shin), Mladen Petric (leg) and Stephen Kelly (knee) will face a fitness test ahead of the tie.

Damien Duff (calf) is expected to be involved in some capacity at Craven Cottage, but Mahamadou Diarra (knee) was withdrawn from Mali's squad for the Africa Cup of Nations this week due to his ongoing struggle to regain fitness.

Wigan are without centre-backs Antolin Alcaraz (groin) and Adrian Lopez (hamstring) but could field the same back line as in their last few matches.

Midfielder Ben Watson (shin) and wingers Ryo Miyaichi (ankle) and Albert Crusat (knee) are unavailable, but newly-signed Roger Espinoza is available.

Arouna Kone was named in Ivory Coast’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations so Shaun Maloney and Jordi Gomez could feature either side of Franco Di Santo in attack, while striker Angelo Henriquez could feature at some point after joining the club on loan from Manchester United.


  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Fulham had won just one of their last 12 Premier League games before ending their poor run of form with a 2-1 away win over West Brom on New Year's Day.
  • The Cottagers have hit the target with a higher percentage of their shots than any other team in the top flight this season (50 per cent), while their substitutes have netted eight goals this season, more than any other team.
  • Wigan have picked up just four points from their last eight league matches, conceding two goals or more in nine of their last 11 games amid a series of injury problems.
  • The Latics have conceded more penalties than any other Premier League side this season (six).
  • The Lancashire side have scored the lowest proportion of goals in the 15 minutes leading up to half-time (5%) and the highest proportion in the 15 minutes after the break (36%) of any team in the league.
  • Wigan have failed to beat Fulham in the last 12 games matches between the two, with the Lancashire side losing five of the last six. The Latics have also scored just nine goals in their 15 Premier League meetings with the Cottagers and never more than once in any of those matches.
  • There has been an 85th minute or later goal scored in each of the last four Premier League meetings between Wigan and Fulham.
  • Hugo Rodallega (pictured right) signed for Fulham last summer from Wigan, having scored 24 goals in 112 Premier League appearances for the Latics since his move in January 2009.

Follow Goal.com on Twitter

Follow Goal.com on Facebook
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Fulham 2-1 Wigan Athletic
    21.67 %
  • Fulham 2-0 Wigan Athletic
    14.44 %
  • Fulham 3-1 Wigan Athletic
    9.44 %
Head to Head
Premier League ‎(EPL)‎ 12 Jan 2013 Fulham 1 - Wigan Athletic 1
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Premier League ‎(EPL)‎ 22 Sep 2012 Wigan Athletic 1 - Fulham 2
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Premier League ‎(EPL)‎ 21 Apr 2012 Fulham 2 - Wigan Athletic 1
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Premier League ‎(EPL)‎ 29 Oct 2011 Wigan Athletic 0 - Fulham 2
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Premier League ‎(EPL)‎ 15 Jan 2011 Wigan Athletic 1 - Fulham 1
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Last Five Matches
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
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
Odds
Returns: Fulham £80.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Draw £34.00 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Returns: Wigan £95.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Team News
Available Squads
1Mark SchwarzerGoalkeeper
5Brede HangelandDefender
18Aaron HughesDefender
20Sascha RietherMidfielder
26Giorgos KaragounisMidfielder
11Kieran RichardsonMidfielder
16Damien DuffMidfielder
31Alexander KacaniklicMidfielder
9Dimitar BerbatovStriker
10Mladen PetricStriker
11Bryan RuizStriker
-David StockdaleGoalkeeper
7John Arne RiiseDefender
14Philippe SenderosDefender
6Chris BairdDefender
10Pajtim KasamiMidfielder
21Ashkan DejagahStriker
20Hugo RodallegaStriker
26Ali Al HabsiGoalkeeper
5Gary CaldwellDefender
17Emmerson BoyceDefender
21Iván RamisDefender
31Maynor FigueroaDefender
4James McCarthyMidfielder
6David JonesMidfielder
16James McArthurMidfielder
22Jean BeausejourMidfielder
9Franco Di SantoStriker
10Shaun MaloneyStriker
12Mike PollittGoalkeeper
23Ronnie StamDefender
35Román GolobartDefender
14Jordi GómezMidfielder
15Callum McManamanStriker
-Mauro BoselliStriker
-Ángelo HenríquezStriker
Players to Watch
Ashkan Dejagah
Ashkan Dejagah
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 21
Games Goals YC RC
21 0 3 0
The Iran international’s accurate low cross provided the assist for Dimitar Berbatov’s opening goal against West Brom, and his power and pace going forward as well as his work rate could be crucial against the Latics’ attack-minded left wing-back Jean Beausejour.
Franco Di Santo
Franco Di Santo
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 9
Games Goals YC RC
35 5 5 0
Di Santo's form late last year was rewarded with an appearance for the Argentina national team, and he will have to take on responsibility again on Saturday with regular strike partner and six-goal top-scorer Arouna Kona away on international duty.
Prediction
The Cottagers could only draw in the FA Cup against Blackpool but have an excellent record against the Latics and last week ended a poor run of form with an away win at West Brom, while their opponents have lost six of their last eight league games. Roberto Martinez’ team will be boosted by their new signings, but could be outgunned away to Martin Jol’s side.
Editor's Prediction
Fulham 2
Wigan 1
Results
ALL MATCHES >>
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Robin van Persie Robin van Persie
Striker
Manchester United 		26 3
Luis Suárez Luis Suárez
Striker
Liverpool 		23 0
Gareth Bale Gareth Bale
Midfielder
Tottenham 		21 0
C. Benteke C. Benteke
Striker
Aston Villa 		19 3
Michu Michu
Midfielder
Swansea City 		19 0

Goal.com United Kingdom

BT Group

Editions

Copyright © 2013 Goal.com All rights reserved. The information contained in Goal.com may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the prior written authority of Goal.com