Chelsea v Wigan Athletic
Saturday 28th February 2009
Kick off 3.00pm
Travel Info
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Favourites Chelsea, go into this one defending their right to claim they're still in the title race, Wigan go into the game with a number of separate goals. One is to defend the seventh spot they currently occupy among football's elite, one is to match or even better all previous results against top four sides, and the third goal - is goals.
Lee Cattermole: Scored Latic's last open play goal
Latics have failed to find the net in their last three games and in fact you have to go back to 11th January when Spurs visited the JJB to see a goal scored from open play, albeit from a corner and Maynor Figueroa's 90th minute winner, the last true open play effort was Lee Cattermole's 77th minute goal against Blackburn on December 13th. Since then Latics have offloaded midfield play maker Wilson Palacios and striker Emile Heskey but have added the fire power of Egyptian Mido and Columbian hotshot Hugo Rodallega.
Latics' last visit to Stamford Bridge stunned then boss Avram Grant with a last minute equaliser and the one-all draw all but ended Chelsea's chances of pipping Man Utd to the title. However Chelsea have got off to a 100% start under new boss Hiddink, a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park and the same score line in the Champions league last 32 first leg tie against Juventus.
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Latics, who are massive underdogs (12/1 to win with bet365) are most likely to be without Antonio Valencia who is still to recover from his injury picked up in the home game against Fulham three weeks ago while Daniel de Ridder is still sidelined with a thigh strain. Ben Watson will also have to sit this one out as he picked up his fifth yellow card at the Riverside Stadium last weekend.
Mido (12/1 to score first with bet365) could return to side having not been eligible to play against 'Boro, although he also has been battling to recover from a calf injury. Paul Scharner (40/1 for first goal with bet365) will be back in contention after missing the Midddlesbrough game through illness.
For Chelsea, Portuguese centre-back Ricardo Carvalho could be pushing for a return to first-team action following injury, but the impressive performance of Alex alongside captain John Terry on Wednesday will make that a difficult decision. Michael Essien remains another few weeks away from full fitness, but full-back Jose Bosingwa is suspended and Joe Cole is out for the season with knee ligament damage.
The Gaffers View:
Steve Bruce is well aware of the tough challenge that lies in wait at Stamford Bridge and even a full strength Latics side will have their work cut out.
"It's going to very difficult" said Bruce,
"We know that Chelsea have outstanding players who are better than ours, but on the day who knows what can happen?
"I think like everybody, I was sat watching the Champions League over the last couple of nights and Chelsea beat Juventus, but it should have been over by half time.
"When you go to places like Chelsea, you are up against it - it's a given, but we got a point there last year and we only just got beat earlier in the season in our first home game of the season against them, but anything's possible.We've got to go there and play well, that's for sure.
"We've got two or three missing again, we hope we can ride that and put on a performance."
Stat of the week:
13 - Unlucky for some? The away record currently reads played 13 scored 13 conceded 13.
Next Game:
Latics v West Ham Utd
Wednesday 4th March, 7.45pm
JJB Stadium, Wigan
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