Watford travel to Wigan Athletic in the Championship on Saturday afternoon in search of back-to-back wins for remarkably the first time this season.
A formidable performance at home to Luton Town last time out produced a 4-0 success for the Hornets, whilst Leam Richardson's Wigan lost narrowly away from home against Queens Park Rangers, a defeat that sees the Latics' poor run of form continue in their first season back in the second tier.
Match preview
© Reuters
After pipping Rotherham United to the League One title last season, Wigan ended a two-year spell in the third division of England and are now determined to maintain their Championship status as they look to restabilise following a turbulent period in the club's history.
In similar fashion to the Millers and fellow promoted side Sunderland, Wigan began life back at this level well, only losing once in their opening eight games, but have since declined in form, having lost five of their last six matches.
That current slip in results has seen the Latics fall to 19th in the league standings, only two points better off than Coventry City who occupy the highest of the relegation places as the Championship races towards the World Cup break in the middle of next month.
Apart from an impressive victory over Blackburn Rovers earlier in the month, Richardson's men have not been able to register a win at the DW Stadium so far this campaign, meaning they possess the worst home record in the division, collecting a mere six points in eight matches.
The Latics also hold the worst home defensive record in the Championship with 15 goals conceded in those eight clashes, with a third of those goals coming in a heavy 5-1 defeat at the hands of Burnley way back in August in which the gulf between the two sides was painfully evident.
© Reuters
A comfortable 4-0 home win against Luton last weekend was probably a result many Watford fans expected would be a regular occurence when they made the step down to the Championship after relegation from England's top flight last season.
As is the unpredictable nature of the second tier, life back at this level has not been plain-sailing for the Hornets, who disposed of Rob Edwards after just 10 games and replaced him with Slaven Bilic in an attempt to jumpstart their promotion push after a faltering opening.
Since Bilic's arrival, Watford have continued to be inconsistent, winning three but losing the other three in timid fashion, none more so than in the 3-0 thumping given to them by Millwall just over a week ago.
Representative of the competitiveness of the Championship this year, even though Watford have endured a poor start they only sit three points off the playoffs in 10th, with the understanding that anything less than a top-six finish this campaign would see the Hornets' hierarchy make another change at managerial level.
Team News
© Reuters
Winger Callum Lang is a doubt for Wigan with an ankle issue sustained in the defeat to Middlesbrough, whilst Welshman Gwion Edwards will be sidelined until early November with an Achilles tendon injury that has seen the 29-year-old play no part in the Championship so far.
Richardson has a decision to make in terms of formations ahead of Saturday and could revert to a back four that would allow attacking talent such as Norwegian Thelo Aasgaard to start.
Both Graeme Shinnie and Curtis Tilt picked up their fourth yellow cards of the season at QPR and are one booking away from a one-match suspension.
Bilic is set to name an unchanged side to the one that dismantled Luton last time out, with Keinan Davis leading a dangerous attack.
Jeremy Ngakia (hamstring), Rey Manaj (leg) and Tom Cleverley (leg) all remain unavailable for the Hornets and may not be back in time for any of the games before the World Cup break.
Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:
Amos; Kerr, Whatmough, Tilt; Darikwa, Power, Cousins, Shinnie, McClean; Keane, Broadhead
Watford possible starting lineup:
Bachmann, Gosling, Troost-Ekong, Cathcart, Kamara; Choudhury, Kayembe, Sema, Pedro, Sarr; Davis
We say: Wigan Athletic 1-3 Watford
Watford have been inconsistent so far this season but have the ability to blow any side in the Championship away if they are on form.
Wigan need to address a worrying home record if they are to avoid a relegation scrap on their return to the second tier, but the visit of Bilic's dangerous Hornets is not the best place to start an upturn in results at the DW Stadium.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
