DID YOU KNOW?
* Chelsea have lost only once to Wigan Athletic in the Premier League era. This loss was in September 2009, when the Latics pulled off one of the shocks of that season by carving out a 3-1 victory over the Blues. Incidentally, that loss also ended their 100 per cent record – last season – and knocked them off the top of the table.
* But the defeat proved to act as nothing more than a minor pitfall, as the Londoners returned the ‘favour’ with interest. They went on to hand out an 8-0 thrashing to Roberto Martinez’s men at Stamford Bridge on the final day of the season. And that victory also saw them end Manchester United’s three-year reign as champions of England.
* When the two sides met earlier this season at the DW Stadium, the Latics fell to another heavy handed defeat as Carlo Ancelotti’s charges cruised to a 6-0 victory. This win means that the reigning champions have scored 14 goals without a reply in their last two games against the opposition.
* Nicolas Anelka has scored four goals in his last two games against Wigan, while Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou have hit the net on three occasions.
* The hosts have conceded 11 goals at Stamford Bridge, whereas the Latics have only scored 11 on their travels.
* But Wigan Athletic have made their away goals count, as they have drawn or won every game in which they have found the back of the net – barring the matches against Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United.
* However, their inability to turn draws into victories away from home sees the Latics having won only two on the road this term. But the competitive nature of the season sees only two teams outside the top six having won more than three games on the road. Even so, Martinez’s men are currently at the bottom of the Premier League.
* But if they manage to dole out another shock to their opponents reminiscent of their sensational win last season, then they could potentially leapfrog their way out of the relegation zone depending on other results. Mathematically speaking, the visitors (presently with 31 points) could even go as high as 15th by the end of this round of games. But for this to come to pass, a very unlikely set of results would have to be recorded. Wolves (32 points), West Ham (32), Blackpool (33) and Aston Villa (34) would have to lose their games, while there would have to be a winner in the match between Blackburn and Birmingham (both currently on 34 points). Meanwhile, Wigan would also have to somehow reduce their goal difference by 10 goals to go up to 15th position.
* This fixture – against Chelsea - has been an entertaining one over the years for the neutrals, as nine goals have been scored during or after the 90th minute in 11 league games between the two sides.
* Hugo Rodallega is Wigan’s top scorer in the league with seven goals to his name.
LAST MEETING
August 21, 2010: Wigan Athletic 0-6 Chelsea
The Latics were humiliated in their own backyard as Anelka and Kalou scored two each, while Florent Malouda and Yossi Benayoun added one each to continue a superb start to their campaign - which has since frittered away.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Essien, Lampard; Kalou, Anelka, Malouda.
Wigan Athletic: Al Habsi; Boyce, G Caldwell, Alcaraz, Figueroa; Watson, Diame; N’Zogbia, McCarthy, Cleverley; Rodallega.
Prediction
Chelsea are certainly the superior side and will look to get back to winning ways after their recent loss to Manchester United in the Champions League. This could see their frustration being aimed at Wigan, which in turn could result in a relatively easy victory.
Chelsea 4-0 Wigan Athletic 
