Wigan v Blackpool Team News

Last updated : 13 August 2010 By INOIT

Striker Marlon Harewood is in line for his first Blackpool appearance, but midfielder Keith Southern will miss the start of the season with a knee injury.

Forward Billy Clarke is recovering from cruciate ligament surgery, while Louis Almond is out with a shoulder injury.

Wigan

Suspended: Caldwell (two matches)

Injured: Caldwell (hip)

Blackpool

Injured: Almond (shoulder), Clarke & Southern (both knee)

MATCH PREVIEW

After a 39-year absence, Blackpool return to the top flight with an opening-day trip to Wigan. Tangerines fans will be hoping their side can emulate the Latics, another relatively unfashionable Lancastrian club who have established themselves in the Premier League since promotion in 2005.

Everybody has written us off and I don't think that's a hard place to be

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway

However, the bookmakers don't fancy Blackpool's chances. Newly-promoted sides are usually tipped to struggle, but Ian Holloway's side are odds-on to finish bottom of the table.

Those predictions won't unduly bother the 4,000 Blackpool fans expected at the DW Stadium on Saturday. This time last year most pundits believed the Seasiders would struggle to retain their place in the Championship, but instead they were surprise winners in the play-off final.

Roberto Martinez's first season in charge of Wigan had its share of highs and lows, and the Spaniard admits the aim is once again to beat the drop. The Latics leaked 79 goals last season - no other Premier League side has stayed up having conceded more than 70.

Wigan offer the cheapest season ticket in the top flight, and the sixth least expensive in England, according to a recent survey. Not bad value for a side that beat Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool on home turf last season.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Blackpool beat Wigan 4-1 last season in the first round of the Carling Cup.

• The previous 24 league meetings between these sides were all in the third or fourth tier of English football.

• The last time the sides were in the same division was in the 2002/03 season, when the Latics were promoted as League One champions. Wigan won 2-0 at Bloomfield Road in November 2002, with the return fixture in February 2003 finishing 1-1.

Have your say on this match

Wigan

• The Latics had the Premier League's worst defensive record last season, conceding 79 times in 38 games.

• They conceded only 45 goals in the 2008/09 campaign.

• Wigan's 3-2 win against Arsenal was their only victory in their final seven games of the 2009/10 season.

Blackpool

• The Tangerines drew their first four league games in 2009/10, and won only one of their opening six games.

• Ian Holloway's side won only six away league games last season, excluding the play-offs.

• Blackpool's last away win in the top flight was a 2-1 victory at Newcastle on 29 August 1970.

LEADING GOALSCORERS LAST SEASON

Wigan

Rodallega: 10 goals (10 league); N'Zogbia: 7 goals (5 league)

Blackpool

Adam: 19 (16 league); Ormerod 12 (11 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Mark Halsey

Assistant referees: Paul Thompson & William Smallwood

Fourth official: Martin Atkinson

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Wigan (L0-8 v Chelsea, a): Pollitt; Caldwell, Gohouri, Melchiot, Boyce, Figueroa, Watson (Thomas 62), N'Zogbia, Diame (Scharner 72), McCarthy, Rodallega (Moses 81). Subs not used: Scotland, Stojkovic, Cywka, Mustoe.

Blackpool (W3-2 v Cardiff, n): Gilks; Baptiste, Crainey, Evatt, Coleman, Southern, Adam, Vaughan (Bannan 89), Taylor-Fletcher (Burgess 53), Campbell, Ormerod (Dobbie 60). Subs not used: Edwards, Clarke, Euell, Rachubka.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport