Preview: Wigan Athletic vs Stockport County - prediction, team news, lineups

In a replay of Tuesday's EFL Cup tie, Wigan Athletic and Stockport County will do battle at the Brick Community Stadium in League One on Saturday.

The hosts came out on top to progress in cup action in midweek, but they sit three points and seven places behind the visitors at this early stage of the campaign in England's third tier.

Match preview

Wigan Athletic head into the weekend in search of a second home victory over Stockport County this week, having come out on top in an EFL Cup tie on Tuesday after a mixed start to their League One campaign.

Beginning their first full season under the management of Ryan Lowe, the Latics have earned seven points from their first five outings, winning two and losing two of those.

Those two victories came from their first three attempts, prevailing at home to Northampton Town and Peterborough United, before they went on to fall to a 1-0 loss away at Luton Town and snatch a 2-2 draw in a visit to Rotherham United last weekend, with Paul Mullin levelling in the 88th minute after they initially led through a Sean Raggett own goal and fell 2-1 behind.

Saturday's visitors then arrived at the Brick Community Stadium for an EFL Cup second-round tie on Tuesday, and Lowe's men progressed with a 1-0 triumph, as Fraser Murray finally broke the deadlock six minutes from time.

Now heading back into action on home turf, where they have won each of their four matches in all competitions this term while only conceding once, Wigan Athletic will aim to replicate their midweek triumph and take all three points on Saturday.

Their visitors, meanwhile, make the short trip aiming to avenge the cup defeat and record a second straight league victory and fourth of the third-tier campaign.

After falling short of back-to-back promotions to the Championship last time around, finishing third in their first season back in League One and losing in the playoff semi-finals, Stockport County have again started the campaign strongly, sitting on 10 points from their first five games.

Dave Challinor's men began with back-to-back victories, but they would then have to settle for a 2-2 draw away at Leyton Orient, before Bradford City visited Edgeley Park and condemned them to a first defeat of the season despite the Lancashire outfit leading through Owen Moxon at the interval.

The Hatters bounced back last weekend, hosting Burton Albion and trailing 1-0 at the interval with 10 men after Brad Hills's dismissal, as Jack Diamond levelled the scores in the 69th minute and Oliver Norwood scored a free kick to complete the turnaround and snatch all three points.

Now heading back to the Brick Community Stadium after Tuesday's away defeat, Stockport County will bid to come out on top at the second time of asking and make it four league wins from six attempts to start their League One promotion bid.

Wigan Athletic League One form:

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Wigan Athletic form (all competitions):

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Stockport County League One form:

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Stockport County form (all competitions):

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Team News

After rotating his squad for the midweek EFL Cup tie, Ryan Lowe should again make some alterations for Saturday's contest, with Ryan Trevitt having recently joined Chris Sze and James Carragher in the treatment room.

Maleace Asamoah and Paul Mullin got the nod up front on Tuesday, but Dara Costelloe and Christian Saydee will compete to earn their starting spots back.

Elsewhere, Fraser Murray should return on the left-hand side having come off the bench to score his third goal of the season last time out, with Joseph Hungbo and Callum Wright also hoping to support a front two in their 3-5-2 setup.

Stockport County also rotated on Tuesday and remain without Lewis Bate, Callum Camps, Tayo Edun and Arttu Hoskonen due to injuries.

Brad Hills will return to the defence, having served his one-match red card suspension in the EFL Cup tie, and he should reform a back three alongside Ethan Pye and Callum Connolly.

Owen Moxon and Oliver Norwood should also come back in from the outset in midfield, while Kyle Wootton and Benony Breki Andresson will compete to displace Malik Mothersille in attack and join Jack Diamond and Nathan Lowe.

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:

Tickle; Aimson, Kerr, Fox; Wright, M Smith, Adeeko, Murray; Hungbo; Saydee, Mullin

Stockport County possible starting lineup:

Addai; Hills, Pye, Connolly; O'Keefe, Norwood, Moxon, Dodgson; Diamond, Lowe, Mothersille

We say: Wigan Athletic 0-1 Stockport County

While Wigan Athletic prevailed in midweek, Stockport County have plenty of quality in all areas to call into a side which was heavily rotated, and we back Dave Challinor's men to win at the second time of asking at the Brick Community Stadium in a tight contest.

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