Preview: Wigan Athletic vs. Leeds United

Wigan Athletic will look to raise hopes of a great escape from the Championship relegation zone even further this weekend when they host Leeds United at the DW Stadium.

Long-serving chairman Dave Whelan stepped down from his role at the club this week having seen his hugely successful tenure come to a controversial end, but the Latics could be on course to provide the perfect parting gift.

Malky Mackay's side seemed to be dead and buried just a week ago, with nine points separating them from safety ahead of their basement battle with Blackpool.

A 3-1 victory at Bloomfield Road kept hopes of survival alive, and fans may be beginning to dream after they made it back-to-back victories in midweek.

Kim Bo-kyung scored the only goal of the game on Tuesday night as the Latics pulled off one of the shocks of the season, beating in-form Norwich City at Carrow Road.

That win lifted Wigan up to 22nd in the table, with the gap to safety now cut to six points with 11 matches of the season remaining.

There is still plenty of work to be done in that time, and ongoing off-field issues at the club are unlikely to help, but the belief is certainly a lot higher now than it was just seven days ago.

In order to maintain their momentum, however, they will have to turn their fortunes around at the DW Stadium. The Latics have the worst home record in the division this season, while they haven't won in front of their own fans since August, taking just six points from a possible 42 since then.

Wigan haven't won three matches in a row for almost a year now, but Mackay has no new injury concerns to worry about and could name an unchanged side.

Leeds also come into this match off the back of a surprise victory over promotion hopefuls, overcoming the division's other East Anglian representatives Ipswich Town 2-1 at Elland Road.

The victory ended a two-match losing streak for Neil Redfearn's side and should be enough to guarantee their place in the division next season, with a comfortable 13 points separating them from this weekend's opponents.

They will now be eager to make a swift return to winning ways on the road, having seen a four-match unbeaten streak come to an end at Brighton & Hove Albion last month.

Their away form has not been too encouraging on the whole this season, however, with only four teams having amassed fewer points on their travels.

Like Wigan, off-field problems continue to rumble on behind the scenes at Leeds, but having spent much of the campaign with the threat of relegation hanging over them, they will hope to play with a little more freedom over the closing months of the season.

Billy Sharp got the winning goal against the Tractor Boys and is expected to be rewarded with another start this weekend despite being withdrawn with a knock on Tuesday. Steve Morison, therefore, is again likely to be on the bench.

Rodolph Austin is still sidelined through injury, meaning that Redfearn could again start with Liam Cooper at left-back and Charlie Taylor further forward.

Wigan:

Recent form: LWLLWW

Possible starting lineup: Carson; Boyce, Maguire, Pearce, Bong; Pennant, Perch, Kim, McClean; Fortune, Clarke

Leeds:

Recent form: WWWLLW

Possible starting lineup: Silvestri; Wootton, Bamba, Bellusci, Cooper; Murphy, Cook, Byram, Mowatt, Taylor; Sharp

Sports Mole says: 1-2