Wigan v Man Utd preview

13 May 2009 09:24
Manchester United head to North West rivals Wigan Athletic aiming to take another step closer to securing a third consecutive Premier League title. After suffering back-to-back defeats in March, United have recorded an impressive run of six straight league victories to help tighten their grip at the summit. Second-placed Liverpool, though, have refused to give up hope of another Red Devils slip-up, and remain three points behind the leaders. Wednesday evening's match at the JJB Stadium is United's game in hand over the Reds, and a win would take them to within a point of the crown, with two games remaining. Sir Alex Ferguson will be confident of defeating his former United skipper, Steve Bruce, as his side have won all of their seven Premier League matches against Wigan. Furthermore, the Latics have struggled for form since the turn of the year and have slipped out of contention for a Europa League berth. Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland is unlikely to have recovered from his back injury in time to face the European champions. Bruce has Richard Kingson on standby, the Ghana international having come on as substitute for Kirkland at West Brom on Saturday. The Latics also have a doubt over defender Paul Scharner, who picked up an ankle injury in training, while striker Amr Zaki will definitely be out. His ankle injury is not as bad as first feared, though, with the Egyptian escaping ligament damage. Fellow forward Mido is fit to return. Sir Alex Ferguson will check on the fitness of defenders Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans before finalising his side. Ferdinand tweaked a calf in training on Saturday that ruled him out of United's derby win over Manchester City, while his replacement Evans limped off with a hamstring injury. John O'Shea is set to play in central defence if both men are ruled out, with Ferguson set to make other changes; Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney among those set to return as United hunt the four points required to clinch the title. Possible starting XIsWigan: Kingson, Melchiot, Bramble, Scharner, Figueroa, Valencia, Brown, Cattermole, N'Zogbia, Rodallega, Mido. Man Utd: Van der Sar, Rafael, O'Shea, Vidic, Evra, Giggs, Fletcher, Scholes, Rooney, Ronaldo, Berbatov.

Source: SKY_Sports