Preview | Wigan Athletic v Swansea City
Swansea City travel to Wigan Athletic on Easter Monday (3pm kick-off) looking to build on another positive performance against Coventry City last time out.
Improved recent outings have seen Russell Martin’s side register wins over Bristol City and Cardiff City and play out an entertaining 0-0 draw with the Sky Blues.
It’s a sequence the players and manager will want to continue having said they want to finish the campaign strongly, with thoughts already turning to the 2023-24 season.
Monday’s hosts Wigan are currently bottom of the Championship, however, a 3-0 defeat to Burnley aside, they haven’t lost by more than one goal since January and have registered draws against Watford, Norwich City and Bristol City among others.
The Latics will be hoping to earn a valuable three points this afternoon.
Team news
Swansea City will have the same players available as for Friday’s match against Coventry with no new injury worries.
However, Russell Martin has suggested changes are likely with the quick turnaround from Good Friday.
Steven Benda remains the only absentee as he recovers from a long-term knee injury.
Pre-match views
Russell Martin: “When we have intensity and courage we’re a good team at this level and I think we’ve shown that this season.
“If we can bring that on Monday then we have a good chance of getting a good performance and a good result.
“They’ll be fighting for their lives I’m sure, but I hope it’s a positive day for us.”
Shaun Maloney: “Obviously the three-point deduction has really hurt us.
“I still think there’ll be enough moments in all of the remaining games for us to get something out of them.
“Fixtures and results have gone against us [on Friday].
“We can control other results, we can just go again Monday and prepare to win the game.”
Remember the last time?
Sam Surridge struck a stoppage-time winner as Swansea City snatched victory at Wigan Athletic to end a run of victories for the Latics at the DW Stadium on their last trip to the ground.
The substitute met Connor Roberts’ cross perfectly to give the Swans all three points and send the 500 travelling Jacks into joyous celebration.
Nathan Dyer’s first away league goal since May 2014 had given the Swans reward for a bright start as his left-footed effort found the net.
But Wigan were soon level as Kieffer Moore calmly finished from the spot after Mike van der Hoorn had fouled Chey Dunkley.
Both sides had their chances to find a winner, with some excellent covering defending seeing the Swans avert danger on a few occasions, but it was the visitors who took the spoils in a dramatic conclusion to an entertaining contest.
Prime numbers
2 – The Swans have scored two goals in their last four meetings with Wigan. Those results are made up of two 2-2 draws and two 2-1 wins.
22 – It has been 22 years since the Swans lost to the Latics in the league – a 2-0 defeat in League Two – however there was a defeat in the League Cup in 2010.
28 – This is a rarely contested fixture with the sides having only met 28 times in their history. Despite being formed in 1912 (Swans) and 1932 (Wigan) respectively, the teams didn’t face each other until 1984. That match ended 2-2 – a seemingly popular scoreline for this fixture!