West Brom vs Wigan

February 1, 2011
By: Nemanja Lazarevic

West Brom and Wigan are set to square off at Hawthorns in what will be a classic relegation six-pointer. The Baggies are in a better position after ending their losing run and they will see this match as a great opportunity to escape the danger zone, while Latics desperately need to arrest their dismal run if they want to survive this Premiership season.

Carlos Vela hoping to make instant impact

West Brom didn’t need a lot of time to prove they finally have a team capable of surviving the Premiership and they were recording some pretty impressive results in the opening stages of the league campaign. The Baggies, however, suffered a big dip in form in December and went on to lose six straight games in all competitions but even during the dismal run Roberto Di Mateo’s side played pretty well and hinted it was only a matter of time before they turned it around. The Baggies returned to winning ways as they beat Blackpool at home and after losing at Ewood Park last weekend, they are looking to beat struggling Wigan and further improve their league position. The loan signing of Carlos Vela from Arsenal will be a big boost for the squad and he is expected to start this game.

Steven Reid could return from a knee injury well ahead of schedule, but midfielder Graham Dorrans is out with an ankle problem.

Wigan did a good job in the transfer window

Judging by their performances this season Wigan have got to be considered one of the main candidates for the drop, especially as they look unable to arrest the poor run of results. The Latics are still just one point behind the relegation zone but they are showing no signs of improvement even though a couple of important players have recently returned to the side following the lengthy spell on the sidelines. Roberto Martinez believes his side will improve in the second part of the season after he managed to hold on to star players Charles N’Zogbia, Hugo Rodallega, in addition to extending loan deals of Tom Cleverley and Ali Al Habsi, with young striker Conor Sammon arriving from Kilmarnock. Nonetheless, Wigan still face a difficult job at the Hawthorns and I don’t think they have what it takes to get something from this game.

Key players Antolin Alcaraz and Tom Cleverley remain sidelined with injuries, which only adds to the worries.

Verdict

I have to say I was impressed by West Brom this season, especially after the Baggies completely outclassed Manchester United at Hawthorns, so it is highly unlikely out-of-form Wigan will be able to cope without two key players. Therefore, my money’s on West Brom here.

Out prediction: Home win

Odds: 1.75 (3/4)

Bookmaker:
Paddy Power

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