Wigan v West Brom Premiership Preview: Zaki Out For Latics As Baggies Look To End 7-Game Winless Streak

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Wigan Athletic, play Tony Mowbray’s West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League at the JJB Stadium on Saturday.

Steve Bruce’s Latics side will be boosted by their 1-0 win over Everton at the JJB on Monday, with Wigan unbeaten during November after losing all their Premier League matches in October. Wigan will go into this clash with West Brom full of confidence as the Latics are on a four-game unbeaten streak, but are still just two points outside the relegation zone in 15th place in the Premiership.

The Baggies on the other hand are desperate for some points, with West Brom without a win in the last seven games, which has seen them collect just 1 point from the last 21 available. This poor run has seen the Midlands club slip to the bottom of the Premier League, where West Brom are two points adrift of their nearest rivals Blackburn Rovers, who that point came against at the Hawthorns at the beginning of November.

Wigan will be without their top-scorer this season Egyptian International Amr Zaki, who will miss the visit of the Baggies with a virus. The Latics are also unable to call on captain Mario Melchiot (calf), but long-term injury Erik Edman could be available for Wigan after a knee injury, although it is unlikely that Bruce will risk the former Tottenham Hotspur defender against West Brom.

Mowbray will be without long-term injured Neil Clement (knee), with James Morrison facing a late fitness test on his knee injury ahead of the trip to the JJB Stadium in this must win game for West Brom.

Wigan Athletic: (from) Kirkland, Taylor, Edman, Cattermole, Palacios, Scharner, Kilbane, Heskey, Koumas, Brown, Pollitt, Valencia, Boyce, de Ridder, Bramble, Cywka, Kingson, Kapo, Camara, Kupisz, Figueroa, Routledge, Ashworth

West Bromwich Albion: (from) Carson, Hoefkens, Robinson, Cech, Corbett, Koren, Greening, Bednar, Miller, Brunt, Kim, MacDonald, Moore, Dorrans, Pele, Kiely, Teixeira, Slusarski, Zuiverloon, Meite, Olsson, Morrison, Valero, Donk

Newcastle v Wigan Premiership Preview: Barton & Ameobi To Feature For Magpies – Zaki A Doubt For Latics

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Joe Kinnear’s Newcastle United play, Wigan Athletic in the Premier League at St James’ Park on Saturday.

The Magpies lost to Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage last weekend, but won their previous two Premiership matches against Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion, which brought an end to Kinnear’s winless streak at the North East club. However, Newcastle are still in the relegation zone and Kinnear will be hoping that the Toon can pick up all three points against a Wigan side just above them on virtue of goal difference.

Latics manager Steve Bruce will want his side to shake off any side effects of the 3-0 Carling Cup defeat to Arsenal’s youngsters on Tuesday and will be hoping that Wigan can build on the win against Portsmouth at Fratton Park and the 0-0 draw with Stoke City at the JJB Stadium in their last two Premier League outings. Which ended a four-game losing streak for Wigan.

Kinnear is still unable to call on Alan Smith, Mark Viduka and Ignacio Gonzalez, who all have achilles problems for the visit of Wigan. Joey Barton is likely to start in central midfield and Newcastle Player of the Month Shola Ameobi is likely to lead the attack, with Kinnear to decide between Obafemi Martins and Michael Owen as his strike-partner for this must win clash.

The Latics will be without long-term absentee Erik Edman (knee), with doubts over Premiership top-scorer Amr Zaki after his agent claimed that the Egyptian International has been playing with flu and is carrying several other knocks.

“Amr will have a full check-up on Wednesday because of several injury concerns in late,” Saied told FilGoal.

“He played with flu against Stoke and Arsenal, he is also complaining from an old calf injury. Furthermore, he received a knock to his ribs during the Arsenal match.”

Newcastle United: (from) Given, Coloccini, Taylor, N’Zogbia, Barton, Butt, Gutierrez, Enrique, Cacapa, Guthrie, Martins, Owen, Duff, Bassong, Harper, Xisco, Geremi, Beye, Ameobi, Kadar, Edgar, Tozer, LuaLua, Carroll

Wigan Athletic: (from) Kirkland, Melchiot, Bramble, Taylor, Cattermole, Jones, Palacios, Scharner, Kilbane, Heskey, Koumas, Brown, Pollitt, Zaki, Valencia, Boyce, de Ridder, Cywka, Kapo, Camara, Kupisz, Figueroa, Ashworth