Wigan v Aston Villa

Wigan v Aston Villa

Latics looking to bow out with a win...

 

Wigan v Aston Villa

Sunday, 19th May, 16:00 GMT

Surely Martinez can't resist a big team's approach, now that Wigan are down... 

Just a couple of weeks ago and this looked like the deciding fixture that would seal the fate of one of these two contrasting sides; now it's an end-of-season friendly.

Villa are safe, Wigan are down, and the biggest questions are now directed at the managers.

Will Roberto Martinez go to Goodison, St James' or even Villa Park?

Will Paul Lambert still have a job after this match?

All will be revealed in time, but first we have a game to play. 

Liverpool target Callum McManaman will not feature for Wigan, having suffered ankle ligament damage during the fateful 4-1 defeat at the Emirates midweek. 

On the plus side, Roberto Martinez is expecting Jean Beausejour to return after a hamstring complaint.

Paul Lambert is definitely without in-demand striker Christian Benteke, and we may have seen the last of him in a claret and blue shirt. Darren Bent is expected to come in and replace him in the Villa attack. Ciaran Clark is another absentee, still recovering from a persistent foot injury. 

It's a bizarre fact, but after all Villa's woes this season, the young squad could now finish as high as 11th in the Premier League table.

Funny old game, football...

Key Match Stats

Wigan are the first team to have won the FA Cup and be relegated in the same season. 

Villa have won 26 of their 40 points against teams in the bottom half of the Premier League.

Gabby Agbonlahor is the in-form striker, scoring six in his last eight Premiership games. 

Selected Prices From William Hill:

WINNER:

Wigan: 23/20

Draw: 23/10

Aston Villa:  12/5

HALF TIME RESULT:

Draw: 23/20

Wigan: 8/5

Aston Villa: 3/1

BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE?

Yes: 4/7

No: 13/10

TOTAL GOALS:

Over 2.5: 13/20

Under 2.5: 23/20

Wigan, last five:

May 14, 2013
PL	Arsenal	4 - 1	Wigan Athletic
May 11, 2013
FC	Manchester City	0 - 1	Wigan Athletic
May 7, 2013
PL	Wigan Athletic	2 - 3	Swansea City
May 4, 2013
PL	West Bromwich Albion	2 - 3	Wigan Athletic
April 27, 2013
PL	Wigan Athletic	2 - 2	Tottenham Hotspur

Aston Villa, last five:

May 11, 2013
PL	Aston Villa	1 - 2	Chelsea
May 4, 2013
PL	Norwich City	1 - 2	Aston Villa
April 29, 2013
PL	Aston Villa	6 - 1	Sunderland
April 22, 2013
PL	Manchester United	3 - 0	Aston Villa
April 13, 2013
PL	Aston Villa	1 - 1	Fulham

Wigan v Aston Villa