Wigan match preview

Barclays Premier League
Wigan Athletic v West Ham United
JJB Stadium
Wednesday 4 March
7.45pm
Referee: Stuart Attwell
WHUTV - LIVE COMMENTARY, ACTION AND REACTION

• West Ham United travel to meet Steve Bruce's Wigan Athletic for their 14th away match of the 2008/09 Barclays Premier League season.

• Of their previous 13 league matches on their travels, United have won three (Fulham, Sunderland and Portsmouth), drawn five (Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Arsenal) and lost five (Manchester City, West Bromwich Albion, Hull City, Manchester United and Bolton Wanderers).

• The Hammers go into Wednesday's match seeking to end a run of two away defeats, having gone down 2-1 at Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League on 21 February and 2-0 in an FA Cup fifth-round replay at Middlesbrough four days later.

• Gianfranco Zola's side go into the match in seventh place in the Premier League table, one point and one place ahead of their opponents. Victory for the Hammers could lift them to within five points of sixth-placed Everton, who travel to Blackburn Rovers.

• West Ham United will be aiming to complete their second Premier League 'double' of the season, having beaten Wigan 3-1 at the Boleyn Ground on the opening day of the season. The Hammers have already beaten Fulham home and away this season.

• This is the 12th league meeting between the two sides. West Ham United have won five, Wigan Athletic have won four and there have been two draws.

• The club has eleven games remaining this season - five at home and six away. The teams still to visit the Boleyn Ground are West Bromwich Albion, Sunderland, Chelsea, Liverpool and Middlesbrough. Other than Wigan, the six away games are Blackburn Rovers, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Stoke City and Everton.

• West Ham have only lost once in the eleven league games this season where the they have scored first - at home to Everton on 8 November.

Referee

• Wednesday's referee is Stuart Attwell.

• At the age of 25, Attwell became the youngest official to ever take charge of a Premier League fixture when he was the man in the middle for Blackburn Rovers match against Hull City on 23 August 2008.

• Now 26, Attwell was promoted to the Football League list at the start of the 2007/08 season, refereeing the League Two play-off final at Wembley Stadium between Rochdale and Stockport County at the end of the campaign.

• Attwell was added to the Premier League's Select List at the start of the 2008/09 season and has gone on to referee four top-flight matches. In those matches, he has issued nine yellow cards but has yet to send off a player.

• Attwell has never taken control of a competitive match involving either West Ham United or Wigan Athletic.

• FIFA have confirmed that Attwell will be asked to join the international list of referees later this year.

Last time out

Sunday 1 March 2009
Barclays Premier League
West Ham United 1-0 Manchester City
West Ham United: Green, Neill, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami (Savio 43), Parker, Kovac (Spector 83), Collison, Cole, Di Michele (Lopez 87)
Subs not used: Lastuvka, Payne, Stanislas, Sears
Booked: Kovac, Parker
Goal: Collison 71

Saturday 28 February 2009
Barclays Premier League
Chelsea 2-1 Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic: Kirkland, Melchiot, Bramble, Boyce, Figueroa, Cattermole (Rodallega 69), Brown, Scharner, Kapo, Zaki (Sibierski 89), 'Zogbia
Subs not used: Kingson, Edman, Kupisz, Routledge, Holt
Booked: Cattermole, 'Zogbia
Goal: Kapo 82

West Ham United

• West Ham United go into Wednesday's match hoping to build on Sunday's 1-0 home Premier League win over Manchester City. Jack Collison's 71st-minute goal ended a run of five matches without a victory in all competitions for Gianfranco Zola's side.

• West Ham United's biggest away win at Wigan came in the shape of a 3-0 Premier League success at the JJB Stadium on 28 April 2007. The Hammers' goals that day came courtesy of Luis Boa Morte, Yossi Benayoun and Marlon Harewood.

• The Hammers have lost on only one of their six visits to the JJB Stadium. West Ham have won four and drawn one of the five other trips they have made to Wigan.

• West Ham's top scorer is Carlton Cole. The 25-year-old England striker has eight goals in 24 Premier League appearances this season. Cole has also scored twice in five cup matches

• Green is the only West Ham United player to have played every minute of the club's 27 Premier League matches so far this season. Matthew Upson has started all 27 games, but was substituted late in the 3-1 home defeat by Everton on 8 November.

Wigan Athletic

• Wigan Athletic have not won in the Premier League since beating Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 at the JJB Stadium on 11 January. Since then, Steve Bruce's side have drawn four and lost three of the seven top-flight fixtures they have contested, scoring just two goals.

• Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Chelsea ended a run of three straight goalless Premier League draws for Wigan. The Latics were held to a stalemate at Aston Villa and Middlesbrough, as well as drawing 0-0 at home with Fulham.

• Wigan's top scorer is Egyptian striker Amr Zaki, who has netted ten times in 23 Premier League appearances. However, the 25-year-old, who is on a season-long loan from Zamalek in his homeland, has failed to score in any of his last seven top-flight matches. Zaki has also scored once in three Carling Cup appearances.

• Wigan's largest-ever home win over West Ham was also the Latics' only victory over the Hammers on home turf. Kevin Kilbane netted the only goal of the game in a 1-0 success, heading past Robert Green in added-time at the end of the first half.

• Honduras defender Maynor Figueroa is the only Wigan player to have started all 27 of the club's Premier League matches this season. The 25-year-old scored his only goal of the season in the 1-0 Premier League win over Tottenham on 11 January - the last time the Latics tasted victory.

• Wigan were among the Premier League's most active clubs during the January transfer window, breaking their transfer record by signing Charles 'Zogbia from Newcastle United for a fee of around £6m. The Latics also brought in Egyptian striker Mido on loan from Middlesbrough and signed midfielder Ben Watson from Crystal Palace and Colombian forward Hugo Rodallega from Mexican side Necaxa.

• Wigan also allowed a number of players to leave the JJB Stadium. Right-sided midfielder Ryan Taylor joined Newcastle United, veteran Ireland international Kevin Kilbane left for Hull City, while the club banked around £14m for midfielder Wilson Palacios, who has linked up with Tottenham Hotspur. Senegal striker Henri Camara, who spent last season on loan at West Ham, has joined Stoke City until the end of the season, while England forward Emile Heskey moved to Aston Villa.

• Manager Steve Bruce has allowed young midfielder Lewis Montrose, 20, to join League One side Chesterfield on loan until the end of the season.

• Striker Zaki has unleashed more shots (71) than any other Wigan player this season.

• Midfielder Lee Cattermole has committed more fouls (52) and received more yellow (ten) and red cards (one) than any other Wigan player this season.

Team news

Switzerland midfielder Valon Behrami suffered a knee injury during Sunday's 1-0 Premier League victory over Manchester City. The club are waiting to learn the full extent of the problem with the 23-year-old travelling to Italy for assessment. Behrami was suspended for the Wigan game anyway after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Middlesbrough.

Diego Tristan will be missing for at least two weeks with a groin injury.

• Germany Under-20 international Savio is pushing for first start for West Ham United following a superb performance as a substitute in Sunday's 1-0 Premier League win over Manchester City at the Boleyn Ground. The 19-year-old, who joined the Hammers from Italian side Brescia Calcio in January, forced Shay Given into the save that led to Jack Collison's winner to cap an exciting display on the left wing.

• England Under-21 midfielder Mark Noble is available again after missing Sunday's victory through suspension.

• Uruguayan international Walter Lopez made his first Premier League appearance as a late replacement for David Di Michele on Sunday and will hope to be involved again at some stage.

• The 18-year-old midfielder Josh Payne and 19-year-old winger Junior Stanislas will both hope to be involved again after being named among the substitutes on Sunday. The 19-year-old centre-back Bondz 'Gala and the 20-year-old striker Zavon Hines have also been part of the first-team picture of late.

• West Ham will definitely be without Dean Ashton (ankle), Danny Gabbidon (stomach), Kieron Dyer (calf), Luis Boa Morte (groin) and James Collins (hamstring). Ashton and Gabbidon may not return this season. Dyer and Boa Morte are both running and could be back in training next week while Collins is targeting a possible return at the end of the month.

• Wigan Athletic have injury concerns over Antonio Valencia (hamstring) and Dutchman Daniel De Ridder (thigh), although the former could be fit for Wednesday's match.

• Midfielder Ben Watson, a £2m January signing from Championship side Crystal Palace, will be available for selection again after missing Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Chelsea through suspension.

Last meeting

• The teams met at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 16 August 2008, with West Ham United coming out 2-1 winners. Dean Ashton scored twice in the opening ten minutes before Egyptian Amr Zaki set up a tense finish by scoring Wigan's consolation on 47 minutes. Valon Behrami made his West Ham debut in the fixture.

• The lineups were:

West Ham United: Green, Behrami, Davenport, Upson, Neill, Faubert (Boa Morte 86), Parker (Mullins 72), Noble, Etherington, Ashton (Sears 73),Cole
Subs not used: Lastuvka, Reid, Bowyer, Spence
Goals: Ashton 3, 10

Wigan Athletic: Kirkland, Melchiot (De Ridder 83), Scharner (Koumas 83), Boyce, Figueroa, Valencia, Cattermole (Sibierski 85), Palacios, Kapo, Heskey, Zaki
Subs not used: Pollitt, Kilbane, Brown, Bramble
Goal: Zaki 47

Attendance: 32,758

Old boys

• Among the players who have represented both clubs are Roy Carroll, Henri Camara and Bill Wade.

Head to head

Last six meetings (Premier League unless stated)

16 August 2008 - West Ham United 2-1 Wigan Athletic
2 February 2008 - Wigan Athletic 1-0 West Ham United
25 August 2007 - West Ham United 1-1 Wigan Athletic
28 April 2007 - Wigan Athletic 0-3 West Ham United
6 December 2006 - West Ham United 0-2 Wigan Athletic
25 March 2006 - Wigan Athletic 1-2 West Ham United

Overall record v Wigan Athletic (all competitions) W 7 D 2 L 4

Next up

• West Ham United will play host to West Bromwich Albion at the Boleyn Ground in the Premier League on Monday 16 March, kick-off 8pm

• Wigan Athletic will travel to Sunderland Premier League on Saturday 14 March, kick-off 3pm

General information

• For ticket information, click here

• Wednesday night's weather forecast is for sleet showers, with a maximum daytime temperature of 6C