Wigan are sweating on the fitness of Nick Powell and Gary Roberts ahead of Sunday’s Sky Bet Championship clash with Leeds.
Star player Powell is being assessed having been forced off following a heavy challenge in the second half of last weekend’s 4-2 loss at Sheffield United.
Roberts is another being monitored on a day-to-day basis after sustaining a hamstring complaint in the first half at Bramall Lane – a match Lee Evans was unable to feature in due to the terms of his loan deal. The midfielder is back in contention this weekend, as is Darron Gibson after serving a three-match ban. Will Grigg, Gavin Massey and Michael Jacobs remain absent.
Leeds will be without defender Luke Ayling for Sunday’s match – and the next two months. The 27-year-old was replaced 25 minutes into last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest with what the club this week confirmed as medial collateral ligament damage in his right knee.
Fellow defender Barry Douglas stepped up his return from a hamstring issue by for Leeds’ U23 team against Hull on Monday, but Gaetano Berardi looks set for a spell on the sidelines. Patrick Bamford and Izzy Brown remain long-term absentees for Marcelo Bielsa’s team.
Opta stats
Wigan and Leeds last met on the final day of the 2016-17 season – a 1-1 draw at the DW Stadium.
Leeds are unbeaten in three league games against Wigan (W1 D2) since losing 0-2 on Boxing Day in 2014.
Paul Cook’s only previous match against Leeds was in August 2013 in the League Cup first round – his Chesterfield side lost 1-2 at Elland Road.
Wigan vs Leeds
November 4, 2018, 1:00pm
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Since his debut in the competition in August 2016, no player has provided more Championship assists than Leeds playmaker Pablo Hernandez (20, level with Conor Hourihane).
Wigan have lost just one of their last 21 home league matches (W12 D8 L1), a 0-2 reverse against Blackpool in February.
Since the start of the 2016-17 season, Leeds have not won a single away league match when Luke Ayling has not featured (P14 W0 D4 L10); Ayling is injured and will miss this match.
Prutton’s prediction
Wigan at home are a completely different proposition to the side they are away. They have claimed 17 of their 20 points at the DW Stadium this season and will give Leeds a great game on Sunday.
Leeds only got a point against Forest last week, and they claimed it in somewhat controversial circumstances, but they look like they are getting back up to full speed. I cannot split these two, however, so I am going to back an entertaining draw.
David Prutton predicts: 2-2 (12/1 with Sky Bet)
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