Preview:Leyton Orient vs Wigan Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

Already separated by a mammoth 21 positions in the League One table, Leyton Orient and Wigan Athletic collide in a gameweek two showdown at the Gaughan Group Stadium on Saturday.

Richie Wellens's men were literally the biggest losers of the opening weekend - suffering a 3-0 defeat at Huddersfield Town - whereas the Latics ran out 3-1 victors at home to Northampton Town.

Match preview

Joe Low's deadlock breaker with just seven minutes gone was a sign of things to come for Leyton Orient against Huddersfield at the John Smith's Stadium, where despite Wellens's side boasting 56% possession, they failed to top the most important statistical chart of them all; goals.

Low's early opener preceded an Alfie May penalty and an injury-time Ruben Roosken finish in an emphatic opening success for Lee Grant's Terriers, while Wellens was left to lament an "extremely poor" overall display from Orient.

As the only side to suffer defeat by three goals or more on the opening weekend, last year's beaten playoff finalists sit at the bottom of the division after just one match, although the embryonic rankings rarely mean much at this stage of proceedings.

However, last weekend's loss coupled with their Charlton Athletic-inflicted heartbreak at Wembley means that the hosts have now lost as many League One matches in their last two games as they had done in their prior 13; a nine-game unbeaten run preceded their defeat to the Addicks in the playoff final.

Wellens's men managed to avoid defeat in each of their final five League One home games in the 2024-25 campaign, though, and they have only failed to find the back of the net in one of their last nine third-tier matches at Gaughan Group Stadium.

There are no prizes for guessing who that blank came against, though, as Wigan shut out their hosts in a goalless stalemate as recently as April 5, thus marking partial amends for a 2-0 home loss to Orient back in December.

Against Northampton on August 2, newly-signed attacker Fraser Murray hit the ground running and then some for the Latics, striking twice either side of a Jensen Weir header before Michael Forbes's largely meaningless response in the second half.

Ryan Lowe's promotion pushers are already where they aspire to be in League One - sitting in the top three of the standings - although the Latics boss has implored both players and fans alike not to get carried away with his side's explosive start.

However, the Wigan faithful could be forgiven for harbouring unbridled optimism; including friendly matches, the 2012-13 FA Cup winners have gone unbeaten in 13 straight games, including each of their last nine in League One.

That sequence houses a five-match run without defeat on the road in the third tier, but Wigan are the division's stalemate specialists away from home; they have drawn a staggering seven of their last nine League One contests on their travels.

Leyton Orient League One form:

Wigan Athletic League One form:

Team News

Leyton Orient attacker Sonny Perkins lasted just 45 minutes against Huddersfield before being withdrawn, but that was seemingly a tactical choice from Wellens, so the 21-year-old should be fit to play a part here.

However, Perkins's place in the starting lineup is undoubtedly under threat, especially as the hosts have just added to their attacking ranks with the signing of 19-year-old Lemar Gordon from Fulham.

Fellow teenager Jack Moorhouse - on loan from Manchester United - could earn his first start in the middle, but Demetri Mitchell is still sidelined as he recuperates from a knee operation.

Meanwhile, Wigan sustained no fresh fitness problems in their beating of Northampton, where Brentford loanee Ryan Trevitt made his debut as a substitute after bouncing back from a hamstring injury.

Liverpool-owned Isaac Mabaya and Wrexham hero Paul Mullin were other notable introductions off the bench in gameweek one, but the pair should be restricted to substitute cameos again as Lowe sticks with a winning formula.

Leyton Orient possible starting lineup:

Simkins; James, Edmonds-Green, Happe, Adaramola; Bakinson, Moorhouse, White; O'Neill, Connolly, Koroma

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:

Tickle; Sessegnon, Kerr, Carragher; Francois; Murray, Brennan, Weir, Hungbo; Costelloe, Saydee

We say: Leyton Orient 1-2 Wigan Athletic

As dire as Leyton Orient were defensively at Huddersfield, they can still pack a punch with Aaron Connolly up front, and the ex-Brighton & Hove Albion man came incredibly close to finding the net on matchday one.

While we therefore have faith in the hosts to get up and running on the goals front, an in-form Wigan outfit who are seldom outclassed away from home should travel home with their 100% record still intact.

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