The bookmakers seem to have go it pretty much spot on this weekend but Andy Caroll’s absence for Newcastle at Wigan is a major blow for the visitors and I want to be with the Latics.
Carroll is ruled out through injury for the trip to the JJB and it has been his goals that have helped Newcastle to mid-table safety at the half way stage.
The striker leads the line superbly for the Magpies and it will be a huge relief to the Wigan defence that the England man misses the televised clash.
Newcastle have been somewhat hit-and-miss this campaign and even the appointment fo new boss Alan Pardew has done little to steady the ship. Pardew’s saw his new team beat beat Liverpool 3-1 in his first game in charge but comprehensive defeats to Manchester City and Tottenham, conceding five goals in the process, cut short the honeymoon period and Newcastle look there for the taking once again.
Magnificent displays in victory at Arsenal, when Carroll was the hero, and the thumping derby success over Sunderland are hard to forget but Newcastle have conceded ten goals on their travels in three consecutive top flight defeats and Wigan should cause them more problems, despite being without the services of Charles N’Zogbia.
N’Zogbia, quite rightly, saw red for a senseless head butt on Jack Wilshere in midweek but his team-mates rallied from 2-1 down to grab a share of the spoils and halt the Gunners title charge and Wigan are now unbeaten in five matches on home soil.
It has been just one win in that, a 1-0 triumph over West Brom, but stalemates versus Bolton, Liverpool, Stoke and the aforementioned point against Arsenal, show they are more than capable of matching Newcastle and are, quite rightly, narrow favourites.
It all looked so bleak for Roberto Martinez’s side in the early weeks of the season following 4-0 and 6-0 defeats to Blackpool and Chelsea respectively but they responded well to those setbacks and it’s just one defeat in front of their home fans since.
That reversal came at the hands of Manchester City and, while I’m not quite brave enough to plump for Wigan in the match odds, they do look a decent bet at 1.80 with Extrabet in the draw no bet market.
3pts Back Wigan (Draw No Bet, vs. Newcastle) @ 1.80 (Extrabet)