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MATCH PREVIEW

PUBLISHED
13:00 1st March 2013
By  Stewart Frodsham

LATICS v LIVERPOOL PREVIEW


Wigan Athletic v Liverpool
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 2 March 2013, 5.30pm
DW Stadium


Tickets

Tickets are available until 5pm on Friday for home supporters with a previous booking history.  There are no sales on the day. You can call the ticket office on 0871 6633552 or visit the ticket office at the DW Stadium.

Match Preview

Wigan Athletic go into Saturday's game unbeaten in four home games against the Reds, a run of results which includes three draws and a victory.  Latics' current form is also encouraging with Roberto Martinez's side having lost only one game in the last six in all competitions.

Liverpool have drawn their last two Premier League games on their travels and no team has drawn more games away from home than the Merseysiders this season.  Brendan Rodgers should have a fairly fresh squad however with his side having had the luxury of a weekend off having moved their fixture against Swansea forward seven days due to the Capital One Cup Final, the Reds last game was on February 21 where a 3-1 win at Anfield saw them knocked out of the Europa League on the away goals rule.

The Wigan Athletic squad is looking healthier now than it has for quite some time with defender Antolin Alcaraz having made his long awaited return in the victory over Reading last weekend.  The Paraguayan played the final five minutes of the game, his first action for the first team since picking up a groin injury on international duty back in September.  Ryo Miyaichi is also nearing a return but Saturday is probably too soon for the Japanese winger.  Ben Watson also continues to make good progress, the midfielder broke his leg against Saturday's opposition at Anfield back in November.

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has been carrying a knock and will be assessed ahead of tomorrow's evening kick-off and with no game last weekend the Reds have had plenty of time to nurse any minor problems.  Centre-back Martin Skrtel is fit again after a knee injury, but forward Fabio Borini (shoulder) and defender Martin Kelly (knee) are the only two first-team players currently sidelined.

Head to Head

 Wigan WinsDrawsLiverpool Wins
League258
League Cup002
Total2510

Last League Line Ups

Wigan Athletic (v Reading [A] W0-3): A Al Habsi, G Caldwell, P Scharner, M Figueroa, E Boyce (A Alcaraz, 83), J Beausejour, J McArthur, J McCarthy, A Kone, F Di Santo (J Gomez, 75), S Maloney.
Subs not used: R Espinoza, C McManaman, J Robles, A Henriquez, R Stam.

Liverpool (v Swansea City [H] W5-0): J Reina, J Carragher, D Agger, J Enrique, G Johnson, S Downing, S Gerrard, L Suarez (F Borini, 78), Lucas (J Allen, 72), P Coutinho (J Henderson, 60), D Sturridge.
Subs not used: P Gulacsi, J Shelvey, M Skrtel, R Sterling.

Match Officials

Referee: Martin Atkinson
Assistant Referees: Peter Kirkup and Gary Beswick
4th Official: Lee Mason

Everyone Else
(Sat at 3pm unless stated)

Chelsea v West Brom
Everton v Reading
Man Utd v Norwich
Southampton v QPR
Stoke v West Ham
Sunderland v Fulham
Swansea v Newcastle
Tottenham v Arsenal (Sun 4pm)
Aston Villa v Man City (Mon 8pm)