Wigan v Cardiff. Match preview

Last updated : 24 February 2015 By Michael Morris

C:WindowsTempphp355E.tmpIt's a game that had a spicy mix of ingredients before the morning headlines that Vincent Tan has instructed his entire board of directors to boycott this game.

Cardiff, 13 points clear of Wigan at the moment could do themselves a big favour and virtually kill off any hopes of the bottom two places in the table being a factor this season.

Lose at Wigan and a 10 point gap doesn't look so big.

We shouldn't be talking about City being in such a precarious position but one win from 13 is relegation form in any league and Russell Slade is going to need to start picking up wins soon.

I wonder what Vincent Tan will think tonight if Slade fails to beat Tan's worse eney, Malky Mackay and his boss Dave Whelan.

Leon Clarke and William Kvist will have to come out of Wigan's starting XI as manager Malky Mackay prepares to welcome his old club Cardiff to the DW Stadium.

Latics are waiting to discover if on-loan Wolves striker Clarke's shoulder injury is so serious that he will not play for the club again after he was stretchered off in Friday's loss to Charlton, while Denmark international Kvist (hamstring) had already been forced off by that point and is facing at least two weeks on the sidelines.

New signing Jermaine Pennant will come straight into the squad and is judged to be fully fit having recently returned from playing in the Indian Super League.

Grant Holt (knee) and Emyr Huws (ankle) are out for the remainder of the campaign, loanee Chris Herd (knee) returned to Aston Villa last week and Leon Barnett is due for a scan to determine the extent of his injury.

Cardiff look set to be without Scott Malone when they look to earn their first win in eight.

The Bluebirds earned a 0-0 draw at Huddersfield on Saturday but their left-back limped off early on so Lee Peltier is set to deputise there with Matt Connolly at right-back as they head up north for the second time in four days.

Matthew Kennedy will hope to keep his place after a lively display but Russell Slade, who remains without Anthony Pilkington, has plenty of wingers to select from with Craig Noone, Conor McAleny and Kadeem Harris all pushing for inclusion.

Eoin Doyle and Kenwyne Jones may get the chance to line up in attack together once more.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-Head

• Cardiff won the earlier meeting this season 1-0 at the Cardiff City Stadium in August - their first win in 12 meetings in all competitions.

• Wigan have won four of the last five meetings at home, drawing the other. Cardiff's only win there was 1-0 in the old Division Three in March 1997.

Wigan

• Wigan have won only one of their last 10 games in all competitions. Their only win since Boxing Day was 1-0 at Reading in the Championship on 17 February.

• Wigan have not won any of their last 13 home games, losing seven. Their last win at the DW Stadium was 4-0 against Birmingham on 30 August.

Cardiff

• Cardiff have not won any of their last eight games in all competitions, losing four. Their last win was 1-0 against Fulham at home in the Championship on 10 January.

• Cardiff have not won any of their last six away games, losing three. Their last win on the road was 1-0 at Watford on 29 November.