Preview: Rover and out or Happy New Year?

This weekend see's the return of Dave Whelan's former club Blackburn Rovers, and although there are no free pies for the away fans this time,

Emile Heskey: Sixth goal at Watford chalked off

maybe Whelan should be foking out for the 1000 fans who travelled to Watford!

In fairness (and i went to Watford) it was unplayable, but was funny watching the ball move just a foot ahead in a pool of water, and Jewell's goal at our end during the interval. Anyway, moving onto the preview....

It is fair to say that Wigan fans are happy to bid farewell to the past year. Although it was a year of Premiership football, overall form has not been good, especially in December, with Wigan winning just one of their seven games, losing five and not even finishing one.

The postponment of Saturday's game also drags Wigancloser to the Premiership trap-door, with just four points now seperating ourselves and 18th placed West Ham United.

Blackburn Rovers have ended the year on a high, after being humiliated 6-2 away at Arsenal, winning back to back home victories against Liverpool and Middlesbrough.

Andreas Johansson: Could get a start up Front

The Rovers away form is not very impressive however, in 9 games they have won just twice, drawing a further 2 and losing the other 5. If Wigan do beat Blackburn on Monday, the Latics will leapfrog their opponents on goal difference.

One annoying fact to come out of the Watford postponment, other than the fact Heskey's sixth goal of the season doesn'count, is the fact that Lee McCulloch's suspension apparantly continues over to Monday's game. This is disputed but apparantly true.

He joins Henri Camara and Paul Scharner who are both still out, Scharner in particular expected to be out for some time after undergoing knee surgery in Austria. There are no new injury problems ahead of tomorrow's game, but Jewell must decide who partners Emile Heskey up front, with Andreas Johansson likely to get the nod.

New signings Andreas Granqvist and Kristofer Haestad are unavailable for selection.

Ryan Nelson, Steven Reid and former Wigan striker Jason Roberts are all expected to miss the game.

Ones To Watch

Do do do......Nonda (sorry practical joke between myself and a friend) has been in good goalscoring form of late as has partner Benni McCartney. Bentley in midfied is also in fine form.

Pundits Prediction

Sky Sports go for a 1-1 draw, whilst Mark Lawrenson has gone for a 2-1 Wigan win, but has a dig at the probability that not many will turn up.

My Prediction

This is more with my heart than my head, but i am desperate to see a Wigan win at home for once.

Latics 2 Rovers 0 (sorry count)