Walsall vs Wigan – Preview

Promotion chasing Wigan have a chance to immediately capitalize on 2nd placed Shrewsbury‘s draw at Northampton as they face a trip to the Banks’s Stadium to face Walsall this evening. The game also sees Dean Keates make his first appearance in the home dug out after he left Wrexham to become Walsall manager last week.

The home side have only won once in their last six league games and slumped to a hugely disappointing 3-0 defeat to relegation threatened Rochdale in their previous match at the Banks’s Stadium. The Saddlers’ recent slump has seen them drop to 17th place in the table, leaving them just four points above the drop zone. Walsall will however be hoping that the return of Keates will ignite a much needed upturn in form. Keates made over 250 appearances for the Saddlers and captained the club to the League Two title in 2007.

Speaking ahead of tonight’s game, Keates expressed his excitement at returning to the Banks’s stadium. The Walsall manager told the club’s official website, “The only thing I can guarantee is that the team will go out there and represent the fans and give everything for this football club.”

Wigan’s memorable FA Cup run came to an end on Sunday as the Latics fell to a 2-0 defeat against Southampton at the quarter-final stage. Paul Cook‘s side will be hoping that a decent run in the league will provide the perfect tonic for their cup heartbreak. Earlier in the week Paul Cook told reporters that his side will use Sunday’s defeat as motivation for tonight’s game. The Wigan boss said, “Disappointment is huge in football and it can drive you on”.

Wigan currently sit in 3rd place in the League One table, four points behind Shrewsbury but crucially have two games in hand over Paul Hurst’s side.  The Latics will certainly prove a tough team to brake down tonight as they have the best defensive record in the entire Football League, conceding just 23 times (eight goals less than Cardiff City who have the second best defensive record)

Team news

The home side are set to welcome back Jack Fitzwater after the defender suffered a recent lay off due to a back problem. However Joe Edwards continues to miss out with a long term leg injury.

Wigan will be missing their captain Samy Morsy after the 26-year-old was called up to represent Egypt in their friendlies against Portugal and Greece. Cook’s side are however expected to welcome back star midfielder Nick Powell to the squad after the play maker recovered from a hamstring injury.