Wigan Athletic find themselves in greater need of a victory every week, and that is again the case as they prepare for the visit of Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

The Latics have still only managed one victory under Malky Mackay, who has picked up four points from a possible 24 since taking charge of the club.

Coupled with their defeat in the third round of the FA Cup, they have lost seven of their last eight games, which is relegation form whoever you are.

Sure enough, despite being among the pre-season favourites for a promotion push, Wigan find themselves just one place and three points off the bottom, with the gap to safety now five points.

On current form, that looks to be a big ask for a Wigan side that has only picked up 12 points and won two games at home this season - both joint league lows.

Those home victories both came in August, and they are now nine games without a win at the DW Stadium, a run that includes defeats in their last three.

There was more bad news in the transfer market this week too as Leicester City are understood to have agreed a fee with the Latics for Shaun Maloney.

The winger will therefore not be involved this weekend, but Liam Ridgewell could make his home debut having started in the 3-1 defeat to Birmingham City last time out.

Inconsistency continues to be the main enemy for Blackburn, who find themselves six points adrift of the playoffs following their 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out.

They have now won only one of their last seven league outings, although they did set up an FA Cup fourth-round meeting with Swansea City by beating Charlton Athletic earlier this month.

That win over the Addicks is their only away success in six, while in the league they have won just three times on the road all season. Their record at Wigan is also poor having failed to win any of their last six away games against the Latics.

Should Rovers manage to string a run of wins together, they are likely to need the likes of Rudy Gestede and Jordan Rhodes to rediscover their scoring touch.

Gestede has been linked with a January move to the Premier League recently, while Rhodes has just one goal in his last eight away games for the club.

That duo are expected to lead the line once again, however, as Gary Bowyer has no new injury concerns to worry about.

Wigan:

Form in Championship: LLLWLL
Form in all competitions: LLWLLL

Possible starting lineup: Carson; Perch, Barnett, Kiernan, Taylor; Forshaw, Cowie, McCann, McClean, Watson; Fortune

Blackburn:

Form in Championship: LLWLDL
Form in all competitions: LWLDWL

Possible starting lineup: Steele; Baptiste, Hanley, Duffy, Olsson; Cairney, Evans, Williamson, Marshall; Gestede, Rhodes

Sports Mole says: 1-2