Wigan Athletic v Southampton
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 2 February 2013, kick off 3.00pm
DW Stadium
Tickets
Tickets for the game are available to Wigan Athletic supporters up until kick off with the Junior Bring A Friend for FREE offer also still available right up until kick off. [Click here] for full selling information.
Match Preview
Wigan Athletic prepare to host Southampton for the first time ever, in a game where a win for Latics would see them draw level with the Saints in the Barclays Premier League table on 23 points.
This is the third game for new Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino, a home draw against Everton and a narrow defeat at Old Trafford his record so far. The 40-year-old Argentine arrived at St. Mary's just hours after the removal of former Latics' goalkeeper Nigel Adkins, much to the surprise of much of the football world. Pochettino played the majority of his football as a cente-back at Espanyol and also played 20 times for his country. He also played 70 games for Paris Saint-Germain and spent a short spell at Bordeaux.
Wigan will have to be on-form to beat a Southampton side who have lost just two of their last seven games away from home, the two defeats were at Anfield at Old Trafford. Latics have just two wins at home this season against West Ham Utd and Reading.
Team News
Paul Scharner returned to the DW Stadium on transfer deadline day this week and could go straight into the team to face Southampton on Saturday to make his second Latics debut. The Austrian is on loan from Hamburg until the end of the season and given the number of defensive injuries of late, he could be called straight into action. Latics are still without Ben Watson (broken leg), Ryo Miyaichi (ankle), Albert Crusat (knee) and Antolin Alcaraz (groin). Arouna Kone is still away with Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Southampton are expected to be without Jose Fonte and Guly who missed out in midweek through injury. New Saints signing Vegard Forren will be hoping to be in the squad for the first time since his arrival from Molde.
Head to Head
There has been just one league meeting between Latics and Southampton which was the reveres fixture at St. Mary's earlier in the season which Latics won 2-0 with goals from Franco Di Santo and Arouna Kone.
Last League Line Ups
Wigan Athletic (v Stoke City [A] D2-2): A Al Habsi, G Caldwell, M Figueroa, R Golobart, E Boyce (R Stam, 49), J Beausejour (C McManaman, 83), J McArthur, J McCarthy, F Di Santo, R Espinoza , S Maloney.
Subs not used: J Gomez, A Henriquez, J Robles, D Jones, J Mustoe.
Southampton (v Man Utd [A] L2-1): A Boruc, J Hooiveld, D Fox (L Shaw, 78), N Clyne, M Yoshida, J Puncheon (S Davis, 45), J Cork, M Schneiderlin , J Rodriguez, G Ramirez (A Lallana, 45), R Lambert.
Subs not used: F Richardson, R Chaplow, T Lee, K Davis.
Match Officials
Referee: Andre Marriner
Assistant Referees: Darren Cann & Simon Long
4th Official: Mark Clattenburg
Everyone Else
(Saturday at 3.00pm unless stated)
QPR v Norwich (12.45pm)
Arsenal v Stoke
Everton v Aston Villa
Newcastle v Chelsea
Reading v Sunderland
West Ham Utd v Swansea
Fulham v Man Utd (5.30pm)
West Brom v Tottenham (Sun 1.30pm)
Man City v Liverpool (Sun 4.00pm)