Leeds United v Wigan: Match Preview

By Rob Atkinson

Next up for Leeds after the disappointment at Blackburn is a team we've met in the league before - but we've never beaten them, we've never actually managed a draw - we've never, shameful though it might seem, even managed to score a league goal against these giants of the game.  Then again, we've only played them twice in league games.

It is of course the mighty Wigan Athletic we're talking about, denizens of a town best-known for pies and rugby league, in that order - with the football club still the poor relation of those three preoccupations.  Still, the Latics are not to be sniffed at these days - they come to Elland Road as FA Cup holders, still campaigning on the continent in the rarefied atmosphere of European football and of course they're one of those big boys lately of the Blessed and Stardusty Premier League, with playing staff and parachute payments to match.  So we'd better not under-estimate them then, right?  Right.

Wigan have actually been a little disappointing so far this season, given high expectations of a swift and trouble-free return to the top-flight.  The early optimism seemed justified when they travelled to Barnsley on the opening day and stuffed them 4-0.  The Championship settled back and prepared to watch the Cup-holders disappear over the horizon at the top of the league, but it hasn't worked out like that.  Results since then have been patchy with bright spells and Wigan will need to buck up their ideas soon if they're not to endure a long and frosty winter.  The bleak situation culminated this week with the dismissal of manager Owen Coyle, so yet again Leeds are to face a team bereft of a permanent manager, and looking to prove a point or two perhaps.

Leeds have historically fared best against the Latics in Cup competitions, winning at the old and decrepit Springfield Park in the FA Cup 6th Round of 1987 and then achieving two creditable draws against notionally superior opposition in the 2006 competition, Wigan going through on penalties after the Elland Road replay.  But all was misery in the league for United in our only season of level-par competition with the Lancastrians, the Pie-munchers running out 2-0 winners in LS11, and dismissing us 3-0 in the return.  The aim will have to be the old Wilko battle plan for every campaign - let's get our first goal, first point, first win - ideally all of them in the same game.  Such will be the objective on Wednesday night when a crowd swelled by some freebie tickets should provide plenty of vocal backing - nothing gets a Yorkshireman (or woman) so ready and raring to go as summat for nowt.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Leeds may well have just a little too much for their trans-pennine foes in this latest meeting.  Late injury/recovery news will have a big say in how matters turn out - but barring any unforeseen calamity (fingers crossed Rossco is fit) - I can see Leeds winning by the odd goal in three.  And who knows - as that seasonal magic begins to gather about us all, maybe Luke Varney will grab a goal as he did at Bolton, to win another Roses battle.  Stranger things have happened.