Wigan aim to consolidate promotion push against out-of-form Morecambe

Wigan will look to add another three points and maintain their automatic promotion spot when they welcome struggling Morecambe to the DW stadium on Saturday.

The Latics have gone on a timely four game unbeaten run after a 3-0 home defeat to Sunderland threatened to derail their hopes of a return to the Championship.

Since that day, Leam Richardson’s side have made the most of playing some of the league’s basement sides while also claiming an invaluable 1-1 draw away at third-placed MK Dons.

Fixtures against Fleetwood Town, AFC Wimbledon and Crewe Alexandra offered a glorious chance to cement themselves in the top two and while MK Dons are still firmly in the hunt, Wigan have two games in hand over their nearest rivals and an eight point cushion to fourth-placed Oxford United.

At this point at the very worst it is looking like a playoff place, with a home second-leg in the semi-final.

The title is also very much within touching distance and the Latics have the best points per game record in the division, so Richardson will be confident his men have what it takes to overhaul Rotherham and claim the league title.

With the aforementioned struggling trio all dispatched with the minimum of fuss and three clean sheets, Saturday offers another opportunity against a Morecambe side without a victory since January 22nd.

That was the Shrimps’ only win in their last 14 league games but remarkably, due to the form of the sides at the bottom, they find themselves just one point from safety as the campaign comes towards its conclusion.

Cole Stockton’s return to the team will offer some hope that survival can be achieved and it may only take a couple of wins for any of the teams in the relegation scrap to claw their way to safety.

The sides directly involved – Morecambe, AFC Wimbledon, Fleetwood and Gillingham – have a combined two wins from their last 20 fixtures. This has led to an extremely tight battle at the bottom.

Four into two will not go so there will be some bitterly disappointed fans come the end of the season. If Morecambe are to avoid an immediate return to League Two they need to claim a win, and soon.

It would be a tall order to go to one of the best sides in the division and get the ball rolling, but even a positive performance could lead to an upturn in fortune in the near future.

For Wigan it is all about the three points and they will have a confident and expectant fanbase.

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