A recent 4-0 annihilation of Birmingham has put Wigan Athletic in high spirits for their upcoming match against Blackburn Rovers.
The boys will be travelling to Blackburn’s home ground, just 23 miles from Wigan, on 13th September to try their luck with their 14th place rivals.
Wigan Athletic, currently in 12th place, should have high hopes for the game given their most recent performances. After a shaky start which saw a 2-2 draw with Reading followed by a 2-1 loss to Charlton and a 1-0 loss to newly-relegated Cardiff, the boys now look set to have luck on their side for their forthcoming games.
A 1-0 victory in the season’s first Lancashire derby against Blackpool on 23rd August set the tone for a more successful season for Wigan Athletic. Riera Magem was the name on everybody’s lips after scoring the winning goal in the 35thminute.
But Magem’s goal was just the beginning, and a subsequent game on 30th August saw fantastic performances from Calum McManaman, as well as Andrew Taylor and Martyn Waghorn. McManaman managed to score twice for the Latics in the first half alone, scoring in the ninth minute and just before the whistle was blown in the 45th.
Manager Uwe Rosler said after the game: “”It was a perfect follow-up from the Blackpool game – a mirror image. The one big difference was this time we made the goalkeeper work. We were clinical.
“It was collectively a very strong performance, and it’s nice to sign off for a two-week break with back-to-back wins. We know we can score goals and we showed that today.”
While the boys have had playing at home on their side for their last two wins, they still have very convincing odds of beating Blackburn if their goal-scoring ability is anything to go by.
Relative to Wigan, Blackburn Rovers could indeed put up a worthy fight if they are to progress the three places they need to get ahead of the Latics. The Rovers have had as many wins as Wigan this season, but will be suffering from a drop in morale after their recent 3-1 away loss to the Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Latics would be wise to take note of Blackburn’s 11 victories compared to their five over the teams’ 20-match history. But with a victory like their most recent, Wigan will certainly be in the right frame of mind to keep up their winning streak.
