Wigan v Chelsea Tip

Wigan have confounded some expectations by winning two of their last three games against Sunderland and WBA. However, the result inbetween those fixtures tells another story; Arsenal won 4-0 at the DW Stadium, and it could be a similar tale when Chelsea come to town on Saturday evening. The Blues are 5/2 (Coral) to win by three goals or more, and recent history makes those odds look pretty generous.

Roberto Martinez has kept the Latics afloat by beating the other sides down the bottom of the table, but the big boys are proving just too tough in recent times. Last season Wigan lost 6-0 at home to Chelsea in the second week of the campaign. That followed just three months after the Blues terrorised Athletic 8-0 at Stamford Bridge. The last meeting was a more respectable 1-0 defeat in London, but that’s still 15 goals without reply in the last three!

It was a familiar story when Manchester Utd won 4-0 at the DW last term, and the recent hammering at the hands of Arsenal suggests Wigan are still struggling to cope against the very best. There would have been grounds for home optimism a few weeks ago, perhaps, but Chelsea are now bang on form. Consecutive triumphs over Newcastle, Valencia and Man City have left AVB’s side brimming with restored confidence.