Portsmouth vs Wigan

29/3- Portsmouth are currently placed on the 9^th position on the points table but they can move up to the 6^th spot this weekend when they take on Wigan, they trail the 3 teams above them by a mere 2 points and also have played a match less which gives them an edge on the assumption that they will be able to get a victory in the extra match they have on their side.  This weekend they get ready to play hosts to one of the teams lying in the bottom half of the table, Wigan. Currently placed at the 14^th position on the table Wigan have managed to move up from the relegation zone following their efforts in the last few matches and playing against them in current form might not be a mere cakewalk. However the last time both these teams met was earlier this season and Portsmouth were victorious in the away tie with a 0-2, score line. Both these sides have faced each other on 5 occasions of which Portsmouth have managed victory thrice while Wigan have only been able to win twice and that gives the home team a little edge.

Portsmouth would start off as favourites as they have a good record at home and have shown decent form in the recent past, though they lost against Tottenham in an away tie last week they have won 5 of their last 10 games and also hold a good record against Wigan.

Wigan on the other hand are a different side than the one which played against Portsmouth in the first half of the season and though the team is the same the form and the approach has changed since they have moved out of the relegation zone. They would try to at least pull off a point form the match.

Prediction: 1-1, draw

Blackburn vs Wigan

22/3- Blackburn, currently placed on the 9^th spot, is probably one of the few teams that still has the chance of making it to the top 6 as most of the other teams in the top 6 have ensured their position. The difference between Blackburn and the team lying on the sixth position is a mere 4 points and with 8 matches to go before the season ends Blackburn do have a realistic chance but they would have to get back to winning ways and in an attempt to do that they would take on the ever improving Wigan this weekend. Blackburn playing at home would start off as favourites against the visiting team that is placed 12^th on the points table but as per current form there is not much of a difference between the teams. While Wigan have 2 wins, 2 draws and a single loss in their last 5 matches, the home team has 2 wins, 2 losses and a single draw in the last 5 matches. The only advantage that Blackburn would carry is the support of the home fans and playing in a familiar atmosphere.

Blackburn come into this match after they had to face defeat against West Ham last week, this would have impacted their confidence and would like to show some form against Wigan while playing at home this weekend. A victory here can help the climb some places and with regained confidence they can probably look at giving their best to end up in the top 6 by the end of the season.

Wigan on the other hand have come a long way from being a team that featured in the relegation zone and their climb has been based on strong and consistent performances against stronger opponents. They would like to get at least a draw in this away tie as that should be sufficient to help them maintain a safe spot away from the relegation zone.

Prediction: 0-0, draw

Wigan vs Bolton

16/3- Wigan have been a team that has fought adversity and reached a position on the points table where they can be a little relaxed about their future in the premier league.  They were a regular feature of the relegation zone in the first half of the season but a recovery in the last few matches has helped them climb up to the 13^th position on the points table, though only 3 points clear of the relegation zone the 5 positions higher than the relegation zone would boost their confidence. The last match between the two teams that was played earlier this season ended in a victory for the Bolton team and the score sheet read 4-1 in favour of the home team. However the head to head matches put the team at an even level as out of the 5 matches played between the two clubs in the past 15 years both the teams have won twice while there has been a draw as well. But the thing that would matter the most in the match this weekend is the current form of the teams and on that basis Wigan are surely the better team as of now.

Wigan come into this match after they were able to hold Arsenal for a draw last week in a home tie and they would be pretty confident about their chances especially with the home crowd behind them. In their last 5 matches they have won 2, drawn 2 and lost just 1 and a win here would help them get away from the relegation zone as well as move at least a spot or two towards the top half of the table.

Bolton on the other hand would want to get out of the relegation places and since they have played a match less than most other teams they stand a good chance of moving out and climbing positions.

Prediction: 1-1, draw

Wigan vs Arsenal

9/3- Wigan have come way after being in the relegation zone for nearly the entire first half of the season, they have moved up to the 15^th spot and have managed to clear themselves from the relegation zone by 2 points. They have been good while playing at home and in another home encounter they get ready to take on league leaders Arsenal. Arsenal have come back to winning ways as they defeated AC Milan in a Champions League tie last week after they had drawn three matches continuously. The last time both the teams faced each other was earlier this season and Arsenal won playing at home with a 2-0 score line. The overall record between the two sides show a clear dominator as Arsenal have won all the 5 matches played between the two sides and go into this match as favourites. Also on current for they look to be the better side as they have won 6 of the last 10 matches played while the remaining 4 matches ended as draws. Wigan on the other hand have been a mixed bag as they have won 4, lost 4 and drawn the remaining 2 matches in the last 10 encounters.

Wigan come back to home after a creditable draw against Manchester city in an away tie last week and a similar result here would be satisfying as well. In Bent they have a decent striker as well and with 7 goals already this season he can surely score.

Arsenal on the other hand would want to win and create a four point gap between themselves and the second placed Manchester United, they have been leading the league for virtually the entire season and would not like to choke it off in the end.

Prediction: 1-3, Arsenal win

Wigan vs Derby County

23/2- Wigan can be said to be the most unpredictable team in the league this year, they started of decently but then were a regular part of the relegation zone for the remaining part of the first half of the competition. They started winning after the break and got themselves out of the relegation zone after a string of decent outings and as soon as the fans started thinking that they are safe the club slips again towards the danger zone. They are currently on the 16^th position just a point and a couple of spots above the relegation zone and will have to make the most of their home tie against the bottom placed Derby County this week. Both teams enter the match after facing defeats last week but Wigan are on a better position and have a better form as they have won 4 of the last 10 matches and losing as many whereas Derby have lost 7 of their 10 matches and won non. Also Wigan would have an edge over Derby as they defeated Derby in an away tie earlier this season.

After a disappointing loss last week against Sunderland, away from home was a huge setback to the Wigan’s chances of getting away from the bottom 5 of the table. But while playing at home with the crowd support, Wigan have been a decent team and would be disappointed if they cannot get all the three points against a side like Derby. Bent would be the player the home fans would expect to score as he is the side’s leading scorer this season.

Derby on the other hand have nothing to lose and if they can go all out in these remaining matches they might leave a small impact on the other teams but they are most definitely out of the league for the next season.

Prediction: 2-0, Wigan win

Sunderland vs Wigan

9/2- Sunderland are struggling to keep themselves out of the relegation zone and placed at the 16th spot on the points table they are in no comfort zone. Just a couple of points away from the dreaded zone there are many other teams that are trying to keep away the bottom three spots as well. This week Sunderland will play hosts to one such team that is equal on points with them but are a position better due to a better goal difference, Wigan. The visitors have themselves emerged out of the bottom three with a lot of grit and determination and now would be looking to stabilize their position away from the relegation zone. Though Wigan have not done anything major away from home but they can do it this time with the home side, Sunderland, having almost their entire mid field on the injury list and unavailable for selection. The last time both these teams met which was earlier this season, Wigan thrashed Sunderland 3-0 playing at home.
Sunderland go into this match after a thrashing defeat in an away tie against Liverpool last week. Jones and Chopra would be the two players to watch out for from the home team but a strong defense would be required against an attacking team like Wigan. Sunderland would also like to see to it that they can try and press for a victory as a win could take them away from the relegation zone.
Wigan have been making a strong statement in the second half of the season, though they have not been outright dominators but a shift from the performances in the earlier half of the season is evident. They have won their last tie against West Ham and would be looking for another victory under their belt.
Prediction: 1-2, Wigan win

Middlesbrough vs Wigan

29/1- Middlesbrough placed at the 12th spot on the points table get prepared to take on Wigan at home. Though Wigan are placed on the 17th place they have shown a lot of grit and determination in recent games and that is something that has pulled them out of the relegation zone. The notable fact however is that the difference between the two sides is just a couple of points and a victory for Wigan here could trigger them to a much higher spot on the points table. Out of the 5 matches played between the two clubs, Wigan has managed to win twice while on two occasions the match has ended in a draw. Both teams enter the match with almost an injury free squad and would be hoping to make the most of the match and this makes the match even more interesting. Middlesbrough drew their last week’s tie against Blackburn at home and now would be looking to gain some points against a lowly ranked team like WIgan but it might not be as easy as it sounds as even Liverpool could only manage a draw against the same side. A lot would be expected from the two players in front, Downing and Sanli both have contributed 4 goals each this season and if Middlesbrough want three points here both would have to contribute. The home crowd would be hoping to see their team win as this would help them to establish a comfortable position away from the relegation zone as they are just out of the zone by 2 points. Wigan on the other hand would be looking to put up a strong away performance; Bent has been superb with 7 goals this season. Their strategy would be to score early and defend it for the rest of the match but a firing Heskey can convert this into a winning match and possibly get the club into a comparatively safer territory. Prediction: 0-2, Wigan win

Derby vs Wigan

12/1- The two teams that begun this season very similarly, both teams were glued at the bottom of the table for some time and occupied the 19^th and the 20^th spot with the danger of being relegated. But Wigan has risen out of that dull patch while Derby County remains at the bottom. Now the last placed Derby with a mere 7 points take on the 17^th placed Wigan. While Derby have been consistently losing matches and their last 10 matches have recorded 9 loses and a single draw there is no where the team is heading. As for Wigan, they have managed to overcome quite a few odds and have slowly started earning points in a match which is very important. IN the past encounters between the two sides the honors have been evenly shared as both teams has won once and the remainder 2 matches of the 4 played have been draws.

Wigan get into this match after a confidence boosting away draw against a formidable opponent like Liverpool. It appears as though the arrival of Heskey is rubbing off on his team mantes though he is not particularly scoring goals. Bent has been their top goal scorer with 7 goals to his credit already. Wigan have not scored an away win yet and this is their real opportunity to cash 3 points and if they do so they might as well jump a couple of spots to the top.

Derby is a side that is half injured, they have many people with recurring injuries and with such a poor performance in the first half the writing is already on the wall for this side. They would be satisfied even if they can get a point out of this match because they have been able to score only one in the last 10 matches.

Prediction: 0-2, Wigan win

Liverpool vs Wigan

2/1- All the top 3 teams have begun the new year in grand style and have scored the maximum from their matches and now the team placed at number 4 has a great chance as well. On the second day of the new year Liverpool have a comparatively easy opponent when they play 18th placed Wigan. Though Wigan have improved considerably after the way they started the season but have not found a safe route out of the relegation zone yet. Looking at the current form of the sides, Liverpool stand out as clear winners as they have won 7 of their last 10 matches and lost only 2. Wigan, on the other hand have won just 2, losing 6 and 2 have been draws. Also looking at the past record between the teams Liverpool have won all the matches played between the teams and this time the chances of the same are higher as Liverpool will be playing at home in Anfield.

Wigan have had their share of worries this season and they are not out of the mess yet, the first half of the season was totally disastrous and now it is the time to rebuild. They would have preferred a comparatively easier opposition than Liverpool to kick start the new year and taking on the Reds would be a huge ask. Wigan have no injury worries luckily and would be happy even if they can possibly pull off a point from this away tie.

Liverpool on the other hand have been pretty subtle this season, though in 4th position they have not been in contention for the top spot but they surely would not like to have a huge gap between themselves and the top 3. This one looks to be already in the bag for Liverpool and anything less than 3 points would be a loss for the home team.

Prediction: 3-1, Liverpool win

Wigan vs Aston Villa

29/12- Two teams at the opposite end of the table with opposite fortunes and opposite current forms clash when Wigan play hosts to Aston Villa. Aston Villa were highly impressive in the first half of the season and with a place in the top half of the table, they have been fighting for a European championship spot however off late the team seems to be struggling, out of their last 5 matches 2 have been losses and 3 have been draws, the last one being against Chelsea. On the other hand Wigan had a disastrous campaign opening and found themselves in the relegation zone for long and all of a sudden they have changed and are looking much more of a fighting team and this has helped them climb to the 17^th spot and out of the relegation zone. They have won 2 of their last 5 encounters, drawn 2 and lost only 1, this seems to be the effect of the return of their star striker Heskey.

 

Wigan’s home record has been much better than their over all performance this season and hence they would be expecting to continue their stay outside the relegation zone and would also be hoping for a good show so that they can get away from the bottom part of the table. Bent has played a phenomenal role in the success of this team and a lot would be expected of him in this home tie. With the fans cheering their team’s revival, the players would be keen to do well as well.

 

Aston Villa on the other hand would take heart out of the way they fought Chelsea in the last tie and held the home side for a 4-4 draw. They showed that they had the heart to take on the best teams but in the process lost a defender in the form of Knight being suspended. Agbonlahor and Barry would be expected to net something in order to get the club a much awaited win.

 

Prediction: 2-1, Wigan win

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