Preview:Exeter City vs Wigan Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

Exeter City and Wigan Athletic square off at St James' Park on Saturday afternoon with the teams separated by just one point in the League One table.

Although Exeter sit in 18th position in the standings, they will move above the 14th-placed Latics with maximum points.

Match preview

As a former Wigan player and manager, Exeter boss Gary Caldwell will be motivated to get one over his old side in their battle to move away from the relegation zone.

There was a time not so long ago where seven defeats from nine games in all competitions suggested that Caldwell would be fortunate to make it to this stage of the season still in the dugout.

However, Exeter have since recorded four wins across a six-game period, two of which have come in the league with Lincoln City and Plymouth Argyle each being defeated and clean sheets being recorded.

Exeter continued their improving form in the FA Cup first round last weekend as they earned a 2-0 victory away at National League side FC Halifax.

Nevertheless, now sitting three points above the drop zone, this is Exeter's priority in the short term, particularly when they also sit just three points below ninth position.

As for Wigan, they were fortunate to progress in the FA Cup courtesy of a penalty shootout after initially being held to a 1-1 draw at home to non-league Hemel Hempstead Town.

With just eight wins from 31 games since his appointment in March, Ryan Lowe is under pressure to put together a run of positive results with Wigan only sitting in 14th place.

That said, positives can be taken from four points being collected from their last two third-tier outings, the Latics following up a win over Port Vale with a hard-earned draw at Mansfield Town.

Still, Wigan have now gone nine matches without scoring more than twice in a single fixture, a run that stretches all the way back to September 13.

Exeter City League One form:

L L W D L W

Exeter City form (all competitions):

W D L W W W

Wigan Athletic League One form:

L L D L W D

Wigan Athletic form (all competitions):

D L L W D D

Team News

Caldwell made just the one change for the FA Cup tie with Halifax, bringing in Kevin McDonald for Ed Turns.

That switch could be made the opposite way for this game in what may prove to be the only alteration as Caldwell looks to build on this run of form.

Jayden Wareham got on the scoresheet in that game to make it five goals for the season.

Matt Smith will miss out for Wigan after his sending off against Hemel Hempstead, Paul Mullin potentially being drafted into the team to form a two-man attack.

Will Aimson should return to the backline to take the spot of James Carragher.

Exeter City possible starting lineup:

Whitworth; Sweeney, Fitzwater, Turns; Niskanen, McMillan, Brierley, Andrew; Cole, Higgins; Wareham

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:

Tickle; Aimson, Kerr, Fox; Murray, Weir, Wright, Hungbo; Cooper; Saydee, Mullin

We say: Exeter City 1-1 Wigan Athletic

On a three-match winning streak in all competitions, Exeter will fancy their chances of recording an important three points here. However, we feel that the visitors will do enough to earn a share of the spoils in a low-key encounter.

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