PREVIEW: Wigan Athletic v Luton Town

A quite remarkable upturn in form has seen Wigan Athletic go from relegation certainties this season to now having every chance of staying in the Championship for a second successive campaign.

The Latics' run of 13 league games without a win, including going down 2-1 to Luton in December saw Paul Cook's men bottom of the pile at the end of 2019, eight points away from 20th place.

Moving into 2020 has led to a dramatic improvement though as they started with a 3-2 win at Birmingham on New Year's Day to leapfrog the Hatters, although those shoots of recovery were hampered by defeats to Bristol City and Swansea.

However, a 2-1 home win over Sheffield Wednesday really got the ball rolling as they went to promotion-chasing Leeds and came back with the points courtesy of a 1-0 victory.

Preston emerged triumphant from the DW Stadium but Wigan earned back-to-back draws with Middlesbrough and Cardiff before breathing real life into their survival hopes, securing three wins in a row, all achieved without conceding either.

Millwall were seen off 1-0 at home, Reading thumped 3-0 at the Madejski Stadium, and then the best result of the lot, leaders West Bromwich Albion defeated 1-0 at the Hawthorns in a real coupon buster last weekend.

That has seen the Latics pull clear of the drop zone, now sitting in 19th, two points above the dotted line with just 10 fixtures to go.

Boss Cook admits that despite both he and the players coming under the cosh for much of the season, there is now real belief they can escape relegation.

He told the Wigan Post: “We've had so much criticism the lads have shown great character.

"We haven't done anything differently. The Wigan fans might be thinking we're drinking different water. Everyone wants to know if there's a magic formula - in football there's not.

"It's repetition in what you're doing and belief in what you're doing as well.

“When you win a game, when you keep a clean sheet, when you score a goal you can see that (belief) in abundance.

“We've got to make sure that we don't drop back into the bottom three.

“Football's about supporting your players, supporting your manager.

"Now the flavour of the month is to criticise the players and manager. I'm not levelling that at Wigan that's about the culture of football.

"You've got to give people time, unfortunately in football today you don't get time."

Cook did add to his squad wisely during the window, bringing in Nigerian international defender Leon Balogun from Premier League Brighton, who has started four games since arriving, plus Everton midfielder Kieran Dowell too.

He also kept hold of 22-year-old defender Antonee Robinson, despite Italian giants AC Milan agreeing a £6m fee for him ahead of the deadline.

Following a medical examination with the Serie A club, it was found the USA international needed more tests with the Italian authorities, which may have taken up to 72 hours to complete.

Team news: Luton are without full back Dan Potts who injured his hamstring during the 1-1 draw with Stoke last week.

James Shea (finger) is out as well, with Town boss Graeme Jones leaving it late before making decisions on Luke Berry (thigh), Kazenga LuaLua (thigh) and Sonny Bradley (hip).

Defender Frankie Musonda headed to St Albans on loan today, leaving just Brendan Galloway and Eunan O'Kane as the other long-term absentees.

For Wigan, Leon Balogun should be fit after coming off in the Latics 1-0 win at West Brom due to illness.

Chey Dunkley is out after seriously injuring his tibia and fibula against Reading, while Danny Fox, Antonee Robinson and Kieran Dowell are all sidelined, along with Joe Gelhardt.

Top scorers: Hatters: James Collins (11). Latics: Kieffer Moore, Cheyenne Dunkley (6).

Man in the middle: Gavin Ward – fifth game of the season involving Luton, with his last coming just last month, Town's 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday, when he awarded the hosts a penalty inside the opening 30 seconds.

Hatters have mixed record with Ward in charge though, a 2-1 win at Blackburn and 2-1 defeats to Nottingham Forest and Preston.

The official has refereed 25 games this term, with 87 yellows and three reds, while took Luton twice last season, dismissing Andrew Shinnie in the 3-1 defeat at Charlton.

Assistant referees as Jonathan Hunt and Andrew Fox, with the fourth official Graham Salisbury.

In charge: Paul Cook – 53-year-old who had a playing career with Coventry City, Wigan Athletic, Norwich City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tranmere Rovers, Stockport County and Burnley, plus non-league spells for Marine and Accrington Stanley.

Retired with almost 600 appearances under his belt and was appointed manager of Conference side Southport in June 2006, sacked just over six months later.

Appointed Sligo Rovers chief in April 2007, guiding the club to a UEFA Cup place before departing by mutual consent in January 2009, although swiftly returned a few weeks later.

Won the League Cup and the FAI Cup twice, leaving the club for England as he took over at former club Accrington in February 2012.

Only stayed for 33 games, heading to Chesterfield in October 2012, as Portsmouth came calling in May 2015, Cook delivering the League Two title in May 2017.

Just two weeks later, he left Fratton Park for Wigan Athletic, winning promotion back up to the Championship at the first attempt as he nears two years in charge of the Latics.

View from the opposition: Joe Williams talking to the Wigan Post - “The Luton game is absolutely massive for us, we have to go and beat them.

“Those are the games you have to win in our position.

“There’s no point going to West Brom and winning if you’re not going to follow it up against Luton, especially at home.

“We’ve got to win that one, we’ve got to keep this run going.”

One to watch: Kieffer Moore – striker started out at Dorchester, before going to Yeovil, Viking in Norway, then Forest Green Rovers, Torquay and Ipswich.

Properly made his name when loaned to Rotherham by the Tractor Boys at the start of the 2017-18 season, scoring 13 goals in 22 games.

Was then sold to Barnsley for 750,000 in January 2018, managing 23 goals in 55 games for the Tykes.

That led to a move to Wigan in the summer, but he struggled at first, with just one goal to his name before November, that coming for Wales in the Euro Championships against Slovakia.

Finally off the mark for his new side in a 2-1 home loss to Swansea in November, before netting for Wales again, as he then got a second Latics' strike in earlier December, at Kenilworth Road

Like Athletic, he has really found his form in 2020, with four goals in his last eight outings, including a double in the 2-2 draw at Cardiff, plus an excellent finish during the 3-0 win at Reading.

Friendly faces: Town boss Grame Jones signed for Wigan from Doncaster Rovers in July 1996.

Had an excellent spell with the club, scoring over 50 goals in his three years, heading to St Johnstone for £100,000 in November 1999.

After linking up with Roberto Martinez at Swansea following the end of his playing days, the pair went to Wigan in June 2009, as Jones spent four years in his role as assistant manager, winning the FA Cup in 2013.

Luton winger Callum McManaman came through the ranks at Wigan, playing over 100 times between July 2008 and January 2015, also part of the FA Cup-winning side.

Joined West Bromwich Albion for £4.75m in January 2015, before returning to the DW Stadium in July 2018 after leaving Sunderland.

Second spell wasn't a happy time for McManaman though as he departed in the summer, heading to Luton and has played 23 times for the Hatters since, scoring three goals.

Midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe had two stints on loan at Wigan from Fulham in February 2014 and January 2017, playing 15 times in total, scoring once.

Defender Donervon Daniels headed to Wigan on loan for the 2015-16 season from West Bromwich Albion, playing 51 times for the Latics, netting three goals.

Played for both: Matt Jackson – defender who came through the ranks at Luton, making his first team debut in February 1991, but after playing just 12 times, was sold to Everton for £600,000.

Made over 150 appearances for the Toffees, winning the FA Cup in 1995, going to Norwich for £450,000 in 1996.

Spent five years with the Canaries, joining Wigan on loan for a month in October 2001, and then permanently in November, racking up almost 200 games for the Latics.

Finished his playing days at Watford, returning to Wigan as Head of Football Operations, a role he left in May 2017.

We've got form: Luton won their first meeting at Wigan 1-0, a League Cup tie, then at the Springfield Park in September 1987, thanks to Mickey Weir's goal, paving the way for one of the most famous days in the club's history, as they beat Arsenal 3-2 in the final that season.

Town were held to a 1-1 draw in their first league visit, that a Division Two contest in October 1997, with manager Graeme Jones on target from the spot for the Latics.

They then enjoyed a 3-1 success in Division Two in August 1998, Steve Davis, Sean Evers and Phil Gray on target, but have yet to win since then, three defeats and one draw since Athletic moved into the new stadium.

In total, Luton have made seven trips, with two wins, two draws and three losses, scoring seven and conceding nine goals.

Last time out: Hatters were held to a 1-1 draw at Wigan in their last trip, a Division Two clash on March 15, 2003.

Town were ahead on 57 minutes through Steve Howard's goal, before the hosts equalised when Neil Roberts netted with 15 minutes to go.

Hatters: Lars Hirschfeld, Chris Coyne, Ian Hiller (Duncan Jupp 45), Russell Perrett, Dave Bayliss, Kevin Nicholls, Matthew Spring, Steve Robinson, Ahmet Brkovic, Tony Thorpe, Steve Howard.

Subs not used: Carl Emberson, Paul Hughes, Peter Holmes, Carl Griffiths.

Referee: Scott Mathieson.

Attendance: 7,087.