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

Both looking to move away from immediate relegation trouble, Wigan Athletic and Exeter City clash at The Brick Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon in League One.

The Latics shared the spoils at the base of Barnsley last time out, whilst the Grecians endured another damaging defeat, this time at Kenilworth Road versus Luton Town.

Match preview

After suffering relegation from the Championship at the end of the 2022-23 campaign, crisis-hit Wigan Athletic have experienced a slow slide towards the bottom of League One, with the 2013 FA Cup winners in serious danger of dropping into the fourth tier of English football.

That being said, the return of Gary Caldwell into the managerial hotseat has produced a positive response over recent weeks, with the Latics losing just one of their last five third-tier matches, collecting a commendable eight points along the way.

Wigan were mightily close to recording consecutive League One wins for the first time this season on Tuesday night when Joe Taylor's 12th strike of the term put them ahead against Barnsley, who snatched a 96th-minute equaliser through youngster Charlie Lennon.

Since exiting the FA Cup at the hands of quadruple-hunting Arsenal on February 15, the Latics have lost just two of seven third-tier contests, moving them up to 20th in the League One standings, a single point above 21st-placed Blackpool.

Scoring three times as much as his closest teammates this season, Huddersfield Town loanee Taylor is enjoying the most productive goalscoring campaign of his career to date, surpassing his tally of 11 League Two goals for Colchester United during 2023-24.

Following three straight seasons of midtable mediocrity in League One after promotion from the fourth tier in 2021-22, Exeter City have become embroiled in the relegation dogfight courtesy of a worrying winless run.

The confidence-deprived Grecians extended their winless streak in the third tier to a highly-concerning 12 matches (D6 L6) on Tuesday night, when three first-half goals for Luton in Bedfordshire secured maximum points for the hosts.

Losing each of their past four league matches since the beginning of March, Exeter have slumped down to 19th spot in the League One rankings ahead of Saturday's all-important trip to Wigan, who are level on points with this weekend's visitors to The Brick Community Stadium.

Unsurprisingly, Matt Taylor's side have struggled on their travels in recent times as they battle to end a five-game winless stretch (D3 L2) on the road, with the Grecians last winning a competitive match at FA Cup quarter-finalists Port Vale on January 24.

With both sides desperate for a win to boost their survival chances, the recent record books point towards a frustrating share of the spoils this weekend, with each of the last three games between Wigan and Exeter ending in a draw.

Wigan Athletic League One form:

L W D L W D

Exeter City League One form:

L D L L L L

Team News

Picking up a second yellow card late on at Oakwell last time out, Wigan's Callum Wright is suspended for this weekend's relegation six-pointer.

As a result, the Latics will need to find a new partner for Jensen Weir in midfield, with Matthew Smith potentially coming into the XI on Saturday.

Despite last finding the net in League One back in late August, Christian Saydee could keep his spot in the team alongside leading marksman Taylor.

Notching up his 10th assist of the third-tier campaign at Luton, Exeter's Ilmari Niskanen will continue to be a key creative force from wing-back.

Young defender Johnly Yfeko was substituted shortly into the second period at the home of the Hatters and could be replaced by Danny Andrew for this fixture.

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:

Tickle; Aimson, Kerr, Chapman; Rodrigues, Weir, Smith, Murray, Moxon; Saydee, Taylor

Exeter City possible starting lineup:

Whitworth; Sweeney, Woodhouse, Andrew; Niskanen, Aitchison, Brierley, McMillian; Cole, Tuterov, Wareham

We say: Wigan Athletic 1-1 Exeter City

With both sides keen to avoid handing their relegation rival a late-season advantage, we are expecting a cagey affair between Wigan and Exeter this weekend.

The Grecians will be boosted by the return of Jayden Wareham into their starting XI, however we still believe that a share of the points represents the most probable outcome.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.