Shane Long is on track to return to the Reading set up today after missing out on a place in the victorious FA Cup team that saw off Birmingham due to injury. The lively Irish forward will most likely partner Leroy Lita upfront after a superb performance against Sheff Utd last weekend.
Steve Coppell is expected to name an almost unchanged team from the one that comfortably beat Neil Warncok`s Blades. Nicky Shorey will return to the fold after narrowly missing the Sheffield game meaning Ulises De La Cruz could find himself relegated to the bench.
However the injury suffered by Ibrahima Sonko in that game will mean there is a space in central defence to be filled, André Bikey impressed filling in for Sonko against the Blades but Sam Sodje is also in contention.
The Royals will also be without Kevin Doyle, the prolific striker is on the road to recovery but the Royals will have to do without him for at least three more weeks. Brynjar Gunnarsson joins Doyle on the sidelines, but the Icelandic utility-man will make a comeback sooner rather then later.
Expect to see Dave Kitson and Bobby Convey named in the squad and possibly making appearances later in the game. Neither player has featured in a league game this year, Kitson having only played 30minutes in the Premiership in his career!
Wigan go into the game knowing that they will set themselves a new record by losing today. The Lactics have suffered seven successive defeats and have to travel to the fortress Madejski where points for opposition are quite scarce.
Paul Jewell could throw new signing Caleb Folan in at the deep end, giving the ex-Chesterfield striker an immediate debut.
Jewell has injury worries in the form of David Cotterill, Fitz Hall, Henri Camara, Arjan de Zeeuw and Paul Scharner, who are all set to miss out for the Latics.
The Latics gained their first points of this Premiership season with a 1-0 home victory over Reading on 26 August, when Emile
Vital Quotes:
‘I think back to my days at Crystal Palace and one season we had 49 points but still got relegated.
‘That goes to show that you just never know. We just need to finish with as many points as possible this season.
‘Wigan are a club we can look at and admire. But I don’t go along with the second season being the toughest. The first season is the hardest, then the second season, then the third. Every season has different challenges.’
Reading Team News:
Royals (from): Hahnemann, Federici, Murty, De la Cruz, Bikey, Sodje, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Sidwell, Harper, Oster, Convey, Hunt, Little, Lita, Seol, Long, Osano, Cox.
Player to watch: Leroy Lita
All eyes will be on Lita as the Royals attack is lacking top-scorer Kevin Doyle. Leroy, who secured his ninth and tenth goals of the campaign with the brace over Birmingham at the weekend, will be looking to make amends for missing a golden chance of forcing a draw when the two sides met back in August.
Wigan Athletic Team News:
Wigan (from): Kirkland, Jackson, Kilbane, McCulloch, Boyce, Johansson, Landzaat, Heskey, Skoko, Baines, Granqvist, Haestad, Valencia, Unsworth, Taylor, Cywka, Folan, Filan.
Player to watch: Folan
The Wigan new-boy may well be given his first start almost immediately after completing his switch from Chesterfield. With Henri Camera injured, and goals being generally hard to come by as of late, Paul Jewell will be hoping that Folan will provide some much needed firepower in the Latics` attack.
Match Facts & Stats
READING
8th – 34 points
Highest achievable, mathematically: 6th
Lowest could fall: 8th
WIGAN
17th – 22 points
Highest achievable: 16th
Lowest could fall: 18th
Ref Watch:
Steve Bennet (Kent).
Match Prediction:
I`m hopeful that we can get our revenge for the 1-0 reverse suffered at the JJB Stadium earlier this season, but am also wary that Wigan are desperately seeking a return to form. They will be the fresher side having not played for a week, but our regulars will be back and will be looking to continue our winning ways here at the Madejski. 3-1 to the Royals.
