| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
WIGAN  Al Habsi Boyce, Caldwell, Gohouri, Figueroa McCarthy, Diame, Watson Moses, Gomez Rodallega | ARSENAL  Szczesny Koscielny, Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Santos Ramsey, Song, Arteta Walcott, Van Persie, Gervinho |
Arsenal have four players missing through injury: Bacary Sagna and Jack Wilshere are long-term absentees, while Carl Jenkinson and Kieran Gibbs have both joined them on the sidelines recently.
Thomas Vermaelen, Gervinho and Robin van Persie were all rested for the midweek League Cup defeat to Manchester City and they should all return to the starting line-up for this match.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- The two sides have played each other 16 times in their history, but they had never met before Wigan’s promotion to the Premier League in 2005. In the past six years, the Gunners have dominated the encounters with 12 wins and just two for the Latics.
- Arsenal have not won on their last two visits to Wigan. They were held to a 2-2 draw last December and were beaten 3-2 in April 2010 with the Latics scoring three goals in the final 10 minutes of the game top secure the three points.
- Arsenal celebrated their 125th Anniversary this week. The club was founded on December 1 1886 as Dial Square before becoming Woolwich Arsenal in 1891 and just Arsenal in 1913.
- Arsenal have not won any of their three recent trips to the North West, with defeats to Blackburn and United this season and Bolton last season. You have to go back to a 3-1 victory over Blackpool in April for the last time they were triumphant in this part of the country.
- Home is not necessarily where the heart is for Wigan as Roberto Martinez’s side have not won at the DW Stadium in four attempts. The Latics have also not kept a clean sheet in 10 games.
- Despite victory over Sunderland, Wigan are still in the bottom three of the Premier League; however, if they were they to record consecutive victories for the first time in 13 attempts they would close the gap on the sides just outside of the relegation zone.
Arsenal are the in-form team in the Premier League at the moment and are unbeaten in six, and will be confident they can make it seven against second bottom Wigan. With Van Persie in sparkling form the Gunners should have too much and will run out comfortable victors.
Editor's Prediction
Wigan Athletic 1-3 Arsenal 
