What Barnsley can expect from Wigan on Saturday. Match Preview: Wigan V Barnsley

Our hosts on Saturday, Wigan Athletic have made an excellent start to the new League One season. Having to overhaul an eight point deduction, the Latics are unbeaten in four league games, winning three and drawing once and currently sit 19th in the table. 

Under the stewardship of ex-player Shaun Maloney, Wigan have had impressive victories at Derby County and Bolton Wanderers. A narrow home victory over Northampton and a 1-1 draw at Carlisle complete the four games played, but the four goal demolition of rivals Bolton at the weekend have the Latics in buoyant mood. 

We asked Wigan fan, Barry Worthington from the Progress With Unity Podcast a few questions ahead of our trip to the DW Stadium to give Reds fans an insight into what to expect. 

Wigan were apparently days from going out of business in the summer, yet here we are with Wigan unbeaten so far and overturned the 8 point deduction. What is the feeling like amongst fans around the DW Stadium now?  

A bit of disbelief if I am being honest, from where we were back in June, once again on the brink of going out of business, to being very comfortable in our style of football, a great start on the pitch, bragging rights over that lot up the road following our four nil win last Saturday and out of the bottom four before August is out, yeah disbelief! 

Most Latics supporters were of the opinion that we would need time to settle, we had a tough start on paper, Derby, Bolton and yourselves, plus two of the promoted sides in the first month of the new campaign, we lost 17 players in summer, quite a few of the senior pros, so the feeling was one of, I’ll not say trepidation, but more an acceptance that we would need to grow into the season and allow the players time to gel. We couldn’t have asked for any more than they have delivered to be honest, absolutely buzzing here. 

How much of the unbeaten start is down to manager Shaun Maloney and describe him as a manager to Barnsley fans.  

All down to the gaffer. Shaun Maloney is such a positive person, honest too, no hiding, when you ask him a question he gives you a straight answer. He is a fabulous coach and tactician, he knows how he wants his team to play and he identified the players he needed to bring to the club to implement his style. 

We were on our knees during the close season and recruitment, due to what was happening with the ownership and threats of closure, was at a standstill, once the takeover had been completed though, Maloney worked his socks off on bringing in his players. It appears that he got the mix right and from the off we have looked an excellent footballing side with a bit of bite.   

Who are the Wigan players that Barnsley fans should look out for on Saturday? 

We have promoted several academy players and they have all stepped up, Sam Tickle, 21, in goal, big, commanding, can play as a sweeper and links superbly with his two centre backs and midfield, yes I am talking about a goalkeeper. 

Charlie Hughes, 19, centre half, made his debut on Boxing Day and never been out the side and has already captained us, one destined for the very top, we will do well to keep him beyond this season. 

Matt Smith, 23, signed on a free from Arsenal in the summer, a 3 year deal, how this lad has gone under the radar is the big question all Latics fans are asking, centre midfield, everything goes through him, sensational player, excellent on the ball, drives it forwards and links so well with his partner in crime, Baba Adeeko, 20, who has been promoted from our academy and looks like our next big find. 

Tom Pearce, left wing back and currently the leading assister and big chance creator in League One, bang in form, feeding Charlie Wyke, who has 5 goals already. I could go on, McManaman, Lang, Humphrys, we are just playing so well across the whole side at the moment. 

Describe Wigan`s style of play and formation this season.  

Very difficult to describe, we are so flexible during games, reminiscent of Roberto Martinez’s Wigan Athletic, of which Maloney was a vital part, good in possession, lots of movement off the ball, two centre backs with wing backs playing high up the pitch but also coming inside, lots of interchanging going on, a joy to watch.  

Realistically, where do you see Wigan finishing this season?  

At the start of the season I hoped for a mid-table finish and I would still take that despite our blistering start, League One can be a gruelling campaign and the amount of games can impact a squad. On our day, from what I have seen and obviously Latics fans know the division, we can beat anyone, but you can probably say that about half a dozen sides. 

If we are in the top half as we start the New Year I’d say we may push for a playoff spot, but we really do need to see how we fare over the next few weeks into the autumn before making any bold predictions. 

Give us your score prediction for Saturday.  

Got to keep our good form going, taking into account our ending to last season we are unbeaten in 8 games, and you have only ever beaten us once in the league, that 1:4 back in May 2016 when all our lads were still drunk, I am going for a 2:0 Latics win. 

In the last five league meetings at the DW Stadium dating back to 2003 between Wigan and Barnsley, the Reds have won once with a 4-1 win in 2016 that secured a playoff spot on the final day of the season in which Wigan were crowned League One Champions. Wigan have won three times and the previous game between the sides ended goalless in August 2019. 

The officials on Saturday are:

Referee – Sebastian Stockbridge

Assistant Referees – Wayne Grunnill and Alex Gray

Fourth Official : Daniel Woodward

Stockbridge officiated the Reds twice last season. In January, he sent off Mads Andersen in the 0-3 home defeat to Bolton and in April he was in charge during the Reds emphatic 5-0 victory over Morecambe at Oakwell.