Preview

Data Analysis

 

Sports Mole previews Saturday's League One clash between Lincoln City and Wigan Athletic, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Lincoln City will be looking to improve on their shaky home form when they welcome Wigan Athletic to the LNER Stadium on Saturday in League One.

The hosts have lost three home games in three separate competitions already this season, and the visitors come into Saturday's game on the back of a huge away win last weekend.

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Match preview

Lincoln come into this game on the back of last weekend's 1-1 draw away at Peterborough United, where Ben House's first-half strike for the Imps was cancelled out in the second half by Kwame Poku's equaliser.

That result means that Lincoln City are now unbeaten in 13 consecutive away games, but it is their up and down home form at the start of this season that needs to be improved on; the Imps have lost at home in the league, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy already this season.

Having said that, Michael Skubala's side did win their last League One home outing 4-1 against Mansfield Town, courtesy of an Adam Jackson brace and a goal apiece from Sean Roughan and House.

Skubala was also named August's Manager of the Month, and with his side sitting in sixth and just three points behind table-toppers Wrexham, it has certainly been a solid start to the campaign for the Imps.

This is Skubala's first full season in charge at Lincoln, and considering that his side only missed out on the playoffs last season by just two points, there will be cautious optimism that the club can go one further this campaign.

Wigan Athletic meanwhile come into Saturday's game on the back of a thumping 4-0 win away at Bristol Rovers, and it was first time that the Latics hit four on the road since their 4-0 win at Bolton Wanderers in August 2023.

Joe Hugill helped himself to a brace, and Thelo Aasgaard and Luke Chambers also chipped in with a goal apiece to round off a stunning victory for Shaun Maloney's side.

Wigan began their league campaign with consecutive defeats against Charlton Athletic and Reading, and with their other defeat coming against high-flying Birmingham City it has certainly been a tough start on paper for the Latics.

But now with two wins from their last three games, a win away at Lincoln would see them climb to within one point of Saturday's hosts and begin to see them build some upwards momentum towards the playoff places.

In terms of players used so far this season, Wigan have the third-youngest squad in the division, and with new signings such as Jensen Weir, Dion Rankine and Tyrese Francois, Maloney is assembling an exciting young squad that could be a surprise package.

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Team News

The only long-term absentees for Lincoln are Ethan Hamilton and Reeco Hackett, with the latter being closer to making a return to first-team football.

This means that Skubala could pick an unchanged team having had a full week to prepare for the visit of the Latics, but Tyler Walker could push for a start in attack if the manager opts to rotate one of Jovon Makama or House.

For Wigan, Luke Robinson, Michael Olakigbe and Francois are all once again expected to miss out here, and Steven Sessegnon is also unavailable after the injury he picked up against Birmingham at the back end of August.

Elsewhere, Calvin Ramsay could start as the more attacking option at right-back instead of James Carragher, after the Liverpool loanee came off the bench in last weekend's 4-0 win.

Lincoln City possible starting lineup:
Wickens; Jackson, O'Connor, Roughan, Darikwa; McGrandles, Erhahon, Bayliss, Jeffries; House, Makama

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:
Tickle; Ramsay, Kerr, Aimson, Chambers; Weir, Smith; Rankine, Aasgaard, Thomas; Hugill

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We say: Lincoln City 2-1 Wigan Athletic

While it is hard to separate these two teams, Lincoln City are unbeaten in their last three league outings and know that a win could see them end the day level on points with Wrexham.

The hosts meanwhile have displayed up and down form so far this season, and even with last weekend's superb showing away at Bristol Rovers, we believe the Imps have enough to just get over the line and take all three points.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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