This Championship match is a rather early relegation six-pointer as Wigan Athletic host Nottingham Forest at the DW on Saturday.
Three points for Wigan in this match could take them out of the relegation zone into 20th depending on other results around them. The Lactics had looked doomed until a few weeks ago but just two defeats in their last five means they now have a fighting chance of staying up.
The Lactics have been good at the back all season and have only conceded 40 goals in their 33 league matches, keeping clean sheets in 30% of their games. The final third had been a massive problem for them though but new signing Omar Bogle from Grimsby Town now gives them an excellent threat going forward and Wigan have subsequently scored six goals in their last five matches.
Warren Joyce’s side’s home form has been a real let down this season and they currently have the worst home record in the Championship with just 14 points from 16 matches at the DW Stadium, scoring just 12 goals. However, they have only lost one of their last five home league matches and so they are seemingly turning a corner.
Forest are currently six points above the drop-zone but, if they carry on their recent dismal form of three straight losses, they could easily find themselves mired in a relegation battle.
Caretaker manager Gary Brazil has been unable to change much about Forest since taking over a few weeks ago. They still look useful going forward with 46 scored in 33 but have the second-worst defensive record in the division with a very alarming 58 conceded. They’ve also kept just four clean sheets this season, conceding an average of three per game in their last three league matches.
Just like Wigan’s home form, the Reds have been woeful on their travels and have taken just nine points from 17 games – only bottom of the table Rotherham United have a worse record. Again, this is down to their poor back-line which is the second-worst away defence in the league with 36 conceded.
With Forest constantly leaking goals, this is a good opportunity for Wigan to find the net and there’s no better man to do it than the aforementioned Omar Bogle. The former Solihull Moors man has only recently lost his title of League Two’s top scorer despite leaving nearly a month ago and, as mentioned earlier, has already given Wigan a boost going forward. If there’s a defence that Bogle will easily get the better of then it’s this one and backing the striker to ‘Score Anytime’ is certainly worth a go at 2/1.
You can read more Championship tips here.