Preview: Barnsley vs Wigan Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to build on their lead over the bottom four in the League One table with a second straight win, Wigan Athletic will travel to Oakwell to take on Barnsley on Tuesday.

The visitors moved three points above the drop zone with a crucial victory at the weekend, while the visitors failed to ramp up a climb towards the top six.

Match preview

Barnsley head into Tuesday aiming to take an unbeaten streak to four games in League One and take steps towards the top six.

The South Yorkshire currently find themselves 12th, having managed 49 points from 35 outings in a mixed season which has produced 13 wins and 12 defeats, with their tally of 58 goals scored being the third most in the division and their 58 goals conceded the second most.

Given their games in hand over most sides above them, Conor Hourihane's side have kept their hopes of crashing the top six alive in recent weeks, picking up eight points in their last five attempts having firstly beaten Leyton Orient and Exeter City either side of a loss to Wycombe Wanderers.

Then on the back of a 1-1 draw with league leaders Cardiff City, the Reds visited Mansfield Town on Saturday and led 2-0 through David McGoldrick and Scott Banks, only to have to share the points as Lucas Akins pulled one back and Sean McLaughlin equalised for the hosts in the 94th minute.

Left wounded by that late draw, but still sitting 12th and seven points behind sixth spot with two games in hand and at least one over most other sides in the top half, Barnsley can still put themselves in the playoff picture in the run-in if they can continue the unbeaten run with some victories in the coming weeks.

Their visitors, meanwhile, head to South Yorkshire in search of another win in their League One survival bid after a crucial rebound on Saturday.

Former Wigan Athletic player and captain Gary Caldwell took the reins in mid-February, with the Lancashire outfit sat in a concerning position at the bottom end of the table on just 31 points from 30 games.

He has overseen a major improvement with the Latics, thus far, as they have now picked up 10 points from their first six league matches under Caldwell, firstly ending an eight-game winless run and recording home victories over Luton Town and Huddersfield Town either side of an away loss to Stockport County.

Then still only above the drop zone on goal difference after a draw and a defeat, they hosted promotion-chasing Bradford City on Saturday and made an important return to winning ways, securing a 2-0 triumph thanks to goals from Caylan Vickers and Joe Taylor.

Now leading Blackpool at the top of the relegation zone by three points thanks to that bounce-back win, Wigan Athletic will now focus on improving their cushion and climbing away from the threat of the drop, beginning with a second straight win in midweek.

Barnsley League One form:

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Wigan Athletic League One form:

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Team News

Barnsley remain without defender Josh Earl and winger Tawanda Chirewa, who are confined to the treatment room.

Talisman McGoldrick will continue to star in the attack, having scored on Saturday to move onto 14 league goals for the season and six in the last six games.

He may again join Tom Bradshaw, Patrick Kelly and Scott Banks, although Adam Phillips and dangerous winger Reyes Cleary will also battle to return to the attack from the outset.

Wigan Athletic are still without James Carragher, Baba Adeeko, Jack Hunt and Ryan Trevitt due to ongoing injuries.

They may be unchanged from the weekend, with Taylor and Vickers bound to continue up top after their goals, taking the former to seven league goals in 11 games since his January loan arrival.

Callum Wright may again complete the front line despite competition from Christian Saydee and Joseph Hungbo, while Owen Moxon and Jensen Weir will continue in the midfield.

Barnsley possible starting lineup:

Goodman; O'Keefe, De Gevigney, O'Connell, Shepherd; Connell, Phillips; Cleary, McGoldrick, Banks; Bradshaw

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:

Tickle; Kerr, Aimson, Chapman; Borges, Weir, Moxon, Murray; Vickers, Taylor, Wright

We say: Barnsley 1-1 Wigan Athletic

Wigan Athletic look rejuvenated under Gary Caldwell, and on the back of a confidence-boosting midweek win, we fancy them to cause problems for a Barnsley side who have struggle to consistently make their quality count.

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