WIGAN ATHLETIC v WEST HAM UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SUNDAY 15 MAY 2011
DW STADIUM
KICK-OFF: 4PM
FULL AUDIO COVERAGE - WEST HAM TV
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Introduction
• West Ham United travel to Wigan Athletic battling to retain their place in the Barclays Premier League. However, following last weekend's 1-1 home draw with Blackburn Rovers, the Hammers' destiny is no longer in their own hands.Indeed, should Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers all win this weekend, West Ham's relegation would be confirmed, whatever result they achieve at the DW Stadium.
• West Ham are seeking a third away league win of the season, having triumphed 3-1 at both Fulham on Boxing Day and at Blackpool on 2 February. Since that victory at Bloomfield Road, however, the Hammers have failed to win any of their five away matches, drawing at West Bromwich Albion and Tottenham Hotspur and losing at Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea and Manchester City.
• Wigan themselves are not safe from the drop as they go into the weekend 19th in the table, a point from safety. The Latics have won just four of their 18 home league matches this season, drawing eight and losing six. Roberto Martinez's side have lost just two of their previous seven league games and are unbeaten in their previous three home league fixtures.
• West Ham have won their previous two meetings with Wigan, securing back-to-back wins at the Boleyn Ground. The Hammers have lost on just two of their eight visits to the DW Stadium.
• West Ham's biggest win at Wigan occurred on 28 April 2007, when Luis Boa Morte, Marlon Harewood and Yossi Benayoun scored in a 3-0 Hammers victory.
• Wigan's largest home wins over West Ham were the 1-0 victories achieved on 2 February 2008 and 12 September 2009.
• Saturday's game will be the 18th meeting between the two sides. West Ham have come out on top on ten occasions, while Wigan have recorded five wins and there have been two draws.
Last time out
Saturday 7 May 2011
Barclays Premier League
West Ham United 1-1 Blackburn Rovers
West Ham United: Green, Gabbidon, Spector, Da Costa, Bridge, Jacobsen (Piquionne 64), Hitzlsperger, Boa Morte (Keane 55), Cole, Sears (Collison 63) Ba
Subs not used: Boffin, Tomkins, Kovac, Hines
Goal: Hitzlsperger 78
Saturday 7 May 2011
Barclays Premier League
Aston Villa 1-1 Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic: Al Habsi, Alcaraz, G.Caldwell, Boyce, Figueroa, McCarthy, Watson, 'Zogbia (Di Santo 69), Moses (McArthur 82), Cleverley, Rodallega
Subs not used: Kirkland, Gohouri, Thomas, Gomez, Sammon
Goal: 'Zogbia 10
Previous meeting
West Ham United defeated Wigan Athletic 3-1 at the Boleyn Ground in the reverse Barclays Premier League fixture on Saturday 27 November 2010. The since-departed Valon Behrami put the Hammers a goal to the good on 34 minutes before Victor Obinna doubled the advantage shortly after half-time. Robert Green then saved substitute Mauro Boselli's penalty before Scott Parker surged into the penalty area to make it 3-0. Tom Cleverley's late goal was nothing more than a consolation for the Latics.
West Ham United: Green, Gabbidon, Tomkins, Upson, Jacobsen (Reid 50), Parker (Kovac 83), Barrera, Behrami, Stanislas, Piquionne (Cole 77), Obinna
Subs: Boffin, Boa Morte, McCarthy, Hines
Wigan Athletic: Al Habsi, Gohouri, S.Caldwell, Stam, Figueroa, Thomas (Watson 68), 'Zogbia, Gomez (Moses 61), Cleverley, Diame, Di Santo (Boselli 61)
Subs: Pollitt, Mustoe, McArthur, McManaman
Last six meetings
(All Premier League)
27 November 2010 - West Ham United 3-1 Wigan Athletic
24 April 2010 - West Ham United 3-2 Wigan Athletic
12 September 2009 - Wigan Athletic 1-0 West Ham United
4 March 2009 - Wigan Athletic 0-1 West Ham United
16 August 2008 - West Ham United 2-1 Wigan Athletic
2 February 2008 - Wigan Athletic 1-0 West Ham United
Overall record v Wigan Athletic (all competitions) W 10 D 2 L 5
Background
• West Ham United ended a five-match Barclays Premier League losing streak by drawing 1-1 at home with Blackburn Rovers last weekend. Wigan Athletic secured a point themselves by drawing at Aston Villa by the same scoreline.
• West Ham's leading Barclays Premier League scorer is Frederic Piquionne with six goals. Carlton Cole and Demba Ba each have five, while Cole is the club's leading scorer in all competitions with eleven.
• The Hammers' leading appearance maker in the Barclays Premier League this term is Robert Green with 35. Carlton Cole has appeared in 34 of West Ham's 36 league fixtures. Green and Cole have each made a club-leading 42 appearances in all competitions this term.
• Piquionne is the only West Ham player to have been shown a red card this season, having been sent-off in the 2-2 draw at Everton on 22 January.
• Hugo Rodallega is Wigan's leading scorer in both the Barclays Premier League and in all competitions. The Colombia international has netted eight times in the total, all of them in the league. Charles 'Zogbia has also netted eight times in all competitions, but only seven have come in the league.
• Rodallega and Mohamed Diame lead Wigan in terms of Barclays Premier League appearances made this season with 34.
• Charles 'Zogbia is Wigan's top creator, chalking up seven assists in the league this term. Frederic Piquionne is West Ham's assist leader with five.
• Wigan's Maynor Figueroa has been booked eleven times in the league this season, while West Ham's Scott Parker has been shown seven yellow cards.
• Four Wigan Athletic players have been shown red cards in the Barclays Premier League this term - Antolin Alcaraz, Gary Caldwell, 'Zogbia and Rodallega have all been given their marching orders.
Team news
• West Ham United are hoping to welcome Scott Parker (achilles) back into their matchday squad after a three-match absence, while Mark Noble (hernia) is also close to a first-team return.
• Midfielder Jack Collison is pushing for a first start of the 2010/11 season after returning for 14 months out with a knee injury in the 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers last weekend.
• Gary O'Neil is out for the season at least with a serious ankle injury suffered after an hour of the 2-1 home defeat by Aston Villa on 16 April.
• Junior Stanislas has returned to full training after his own hernia problem and featured in a midweek reserve-team friendly at Tottenham Hotspur. The rest of the first-team squad have all been in full training.
• Manager Avram Grant is still without long-term absentee goalkeeper Peter Kurucz (knee), but Frank Nouble and Olly Lee have returned from loan spells at Charlton Athletic and Dagenham and Redbridge respectively.
• Herita Ilunga is not in the club's official 25-man Barclays Premier League squad.
• Wigan Athletic have very minor injury concerns ahead of Saturday's fixture, with only midfielder Mohamed Diame (ankle) and back-up goalkeeper Mike Pollitt (elbow) likely to be missing.
Ten-year records
West Ham United
2009/10 Premier League 17th (35 points)
2008/09 Premier League 9th (51 points)
2007/08 Premier League 10th (49 points)
2006/07 Premier League 15th (41 points)
2005/06 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2004/05 Championship 6th (73 points - promoted via play-offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th (74 points)
2002/03 Premier League 18th (42 points - relegated to Championship)
2001/02 Premier League 7th (53 points)
2000/01 Premier League 15th (42 points)
Wigan Athletic
2009/10 Premier League 16th (36 points)
2008/09 Premier League 11th (45 points)
2007/08 Premier League 14th (40 points)
2006/07 Premier League 17th (38 points)
2005/06 Premier League 10th (51 points)
2004/05 Championship 2nd (87 points - promoted to Premier League)
2003/04 Championship 7th (71 points)
2002/03 League One 1st (100 points - promoted to Championship)
2001/02 League One 10th (64 points)
2000/01 League One 6th (75 points)
Referee
• Sunday's referee will be Mike Dean, who will be taking charge of his sixth West Ham United Barclays Premier League fixture of the 2010/11 season.
• Dean was also the man-in-the-middle for the 3-0 opening-day defeat at Aston Villa, the 2-2 home draw with West Bromwich Albion, the 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers, the 5-0 defeat at Newcastle United and the goalless draw at Tottenham Hotspur.
• The 43-year-old has also taken charge of three Wigan Athletic fixtures in 2010/11 - the 6-0 home defeat by Chelsea, a 2-1 victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers and 4-3 home win over Blackburn Rovers.
• Dean began refereeing in 1985, starting out his career in senior football in the Northern Premier League.
• In 2004, Dean took charge of his first international match, a friendly between the Netherlands and Republic of Ireland at Amsterdam Arena. That same year, he took control of the FA Community Shield between Arsenal and Manchester United.
• In May 2006, he refereed the Championship play-off final between Leeds United and Watford at the Millennium Stadium. In 2008, he was the man-in-the-middle for the FA Cup final between Portsmouth and Cardiff City at Wembley Stadium.
Old boys
• Among the players who have represented both clubs are Roy Carroll, Henri Camara and Bill Wade.
General information
• All standard tickets for Sunday's match are SOLD OUT. Supporters should also note that NO tickets will be on sale at the DW Stadium on matchday.
• Free coaches to the DW Stadium will leave the Boleyn Ground at 8.30am on Sunday and will set off on a 'fill and go' basis. Supporters should note that they must be in possession of a valid match ticket to travel.
• Saturday's weather forecast is for sunny intervals and a maximum daytime temperature of 12C (54F).