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Wigan vs Swansea- match thread

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Wigan Athletic are likely to be without Jean Beausejour after the midfielder injured a hamstring in Saturday''s win over West Brom.

Maynor Figueroa is out for the season with a groin injury but Antolin Alcaraz (hamstring) is close to fitness.

Swansea''s top scorer Michu is likely to miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

The Spanish striker limped off with the injury in the draw with Manchester City at the weekend.

MATCH PREVIEW

It''s a massive week for bottom three side Wigan Athletic, with the league visit of Swansea followed by an FA Cup final date with Manchester City.

Victory at Wembley would earn the Latics the first major trophy in their history but manager Roberto Martinez believes Premier League survival would be a similar achievement.

"If we stay up, it would be like winning the title," said the Spaniard, who is hoping that last Saturday''s heroics over West Brom will have given his side some winning momentum.

"We have worked really hard for two months to get in the position where, with two weeks of the season left, we are still involved in two competitions," he added.

Martinez must decide how to deploy his squad with such vital games coming up, but believes the home support at the DW Stadium can help his players fight any possible fatigue.

He has called on the fans to "get ready to recharge the batteries ahead of Tuesday night against Swansea, because we really need them with us once more for another big game".

Swansea have already stashed away a piece of silverware from this season, but have gone off the boil since their League Cup win in March, failing to win any of their last seven matches.

But manager Michael Laudrup remains upbeat about his side: "I have to be pleased. One more win should now see us finish in the top half and that would be a fantastic achievement."

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

Wigan have never beaten Swansea in the Premier League (D1 L2).

The Latics last beat Swansea in the league in January 2001, a 2-0 second-tier victory at home.

But they did beat Swansea in the League Cup in October 2010, another 2-0 home victory.

Wigan

The Latics have only won four Premier League matches at home this season.

Wigan have conceded the opening goal 23 times in this season''s Premier League, the most by any team in the top flight in 2012-13.

Arouna Kone has scored 11 league goals for Wigan this season, just one behind Henri Camara''s 12 goals in 2005-06, which is the Latics'' record haul in the Premier League.

Callum McManaman has scored in Wigan''s last two league matches.

Swansea

Swansea have won four Premier League matches on the road this season.

The Swans have won only one of their eight league games since winning the Capital One Cup (W1, D3, L4).

They have lost their last six Premier League matches against clubs in the top half of the table.

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Kevin Kilbane, former Wigan defender on 5 live Breakfast

"Roberto Martinez has Wigan playing a really good style of football. They will play from the back and they seem to thrive under this pressure. I fancy them to beat Swansea this evening. Having a home advantage and they will probably have targeted this game for a win. I think this will be the catalyst to get them out of trouble."

Wigan''s escapology act from the Premier League bottom three has become so regular a stunt it is now less ''The Great Escape'', more G4S circa the early nineties.

In 2006-07, the Latics survived on the last day of the season with a win at Sheffield United.

In 2010-11 they started the final game of the season in 19th place, but a win at Stoke sealed survival.

Last season they were in 19th place with six games remaining, but beat Manchester United en route to winning five of their last six and finishing in 15th place.

BREAKING WIGAN TEAM NEWS - Wigan v Swansea (1945 BST)

Gary Caldwell is back to captain Wigan while Roger Espinoza also comes into the side that won 3-2 at West Brom last time out.

BREAKING SWANSEA TEAM NEWS

Swansea make three changes with Michu, who picked up a hamstring injury in the goalless draw with Manchester City this weekend, missing out.

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Team news:Wigan: Robles (GK), Kone, McCarthy, Caldwell, Watson, Maloney, McManaman, McArthur, Boyce, Espinoza, Scharner.

Swansea: Vorm, Williams, Britton, Hernandez, Routledge, Monk, Shechter,  De Guzman, Tiendalli, Rangel, Davies.

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Mike in Wigan: "Swansea already on the beach. Wigan to storm home tonight 3-0, and then watch those teams around them crumble!"

Tom from Manchester: "Excited with Man City''s line up tonight. Glad to see Richards and Rodwell back. Expecting lots of goals as a few players still have a point to prove..."

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Wigan v Swansea (1945 BST)

Since winning the Capital One Cup and booking their place in Europa League, Swansea have won only one of their eight league games.

Safely lodged in mid-table, they would seem to be the ideal opponents for Wigan tonight.

Ideal apart from the small piece of dug-out history.

Roberto Martinez was described as the most honourable man in football when he opted to stay with Wigan rather than head to Aston Villa in June 2011.

That was not the opinion of many in south Wales when he upped sticks from Swansea to head to the DW Stadium in 2009.

He was ''welcomed'' back with banners emblazoned with Judas when the teams met in the Carling Cup the following season. That might add a little spice.

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If Wigan do come through tonight''s encounter with all three points, Newcastle will replace with them.

The last time the Magpies were languishing in the drop zone was May 2009 when they nosedived down into the Championship shortly after.

The spotlight will swing over to St James'' Park sharpish if Wigan win tonight.

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Mark Lawrenson, at DW Stadium for 5 live Sport

"Wigan are a really nice football team to watch. I like the way they play - they use the full width of the pitch and everybody enjoys a touch of the ball. They just lack that killer instinct in front of goal.

"But watch them at the weekend. They went and won 3-2, which was for me the result of the weekend. With Wigan winning it brought everyone back into contention in terms of relegation."

GET INVOLVED

Wayne Andrews: "OK: Wigan win tonight, Villa lose to Chelsea on Sat, leaving Wigan knowing win over Villa on last day ensures safety. Simple."

Rob Rimmer: "Really hoping that Wigan beat Swansea tonight. The Premier League wouldn''t be the same without their end of season Houdini act."

In Slamon: "If Wigan win today, Norwich could go down. They have no real goal scorers, are in terrible form and they have a tough run-in. "

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Watching the little feature on Laudrup... and feeling a pang of envy, we really should have kicked on after such a good first season like Swansea, but its done now, maybe McNally is having a think too. Staying up was the goal, but in what manner...As for the game, Im disapointed the Michu is out but Swansea are still and excellent team and this will be no walk in the park for Wigan. Dyer on the bench, so hopefully he can come on and exploit the space when Wigan inevitably start to tire in the second half, hopefully as a result of them trailing the game and chasing it.Eyes on the Man City game too, West brom for injuries and sending offs and Man City to just look bored and already on holiday, scraping a 1-0 win in a dull lack luster match.

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Andy from London: "Just to even up this pro-Wigan fervour, I hope they lose tonight and get relegated. Perennial last-gaspers with no more ambition than to just about stay in the league deserve to go down eventually."

James in London: "People saying Swansea are on the beach, safe and sound. Are they? Eight points of Wigan and if they lose to Wigan tonight, they are only five points ahead of Wigan, as well as Newcastle, Norwich and Sunderland with six potential points up for grabs. It would be crazy, but they could be dragged into it yet!"

Mark from Inverness: "As an Arsenal fan, I''d love Wigan to lose. I don''t want us to be the team to relegate Newcastle on the final day."

A Wigan victory tonight would set up a grandstand finish for the final relegation place.

Sunderland, Norwich, Newcastle and Wigan would all be hovering on 38 points with two games left to play.

Pick your booby prize winner out of that little quartet.

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Referee Kevin Friend. The very same ref who refused to send off a Villa player on Saturday and seemed set on sending us down. Great.

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Come on Swansea do it for every team in the league below that would pack their ground out season in season out! Ive always wanted them down, top flight deserves a full house.

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Shot by Routledge for Swansea, saved and goes out for a corner. Corner kick taken in but flicks of a Swansea players legs and goes out for a goal kick.

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Seeing the sparse away support made me think that a few coach loads from Norwich & Newcastle should have gone to get behind the Swans.

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wigan with lots of the ball at the moment, ut finally goes out for a goal kick to Swansea, good build up play by wigan though.

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