Manchester United vs Wigan Athletic. The FA Cup Fourth Round.
Old TraffordAttendance75,229.
Sunday 29 January 2017 15:46, UK
Jose Mourinho will be aiming to lead United to the fifth round of the FA Cup, days after his side booked a place in the EFL Cup final.
Their defeat to Hull in the EFL Cup semi-final second leg on Thursday was their first since November 3 in all competitions and a win on Sunday will see them just three games away from retaining the trophy for the first time in their history.
Wigan sit just outside the Championship relegation zone on goal difference, but are enjoying a resurgent purple patch, having won three of their four games in 2017, including a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest in round three.
Goalkeeper David de Gea will be rested for United as the Spaniard is being given a few days off, so Sergio Romero will start, but Mourinho plans to name a "good team" against the Sky Bet Championship side.
Eric Bailly is returning from the Africa Cup of Nations after the Ivory Coast's early exit, while Luke Shaw is pushing for a first appearance since November 30 after being named among the substitutes at Hull. Anthony Martial has not been in the previous two squads.
The Latics will be sweating on the fitness of Yanic Wildschut after he missed the victory over Brentford with a slight hamstring strain.
Reece James and Alex Gilbey both played 45 minutes in midweek for the Under-21 team - a game which also featured Andy Kellett - and all of them may be included on the bench, from which Marcus Browne will be hoping to make his first appearance in a Latics shirt. New signing Jamie Hanson is cup-tied.
This will be the first time United and Wigan have met in the FA Cup. Their only previous non-league meetings are the 2005-06 League Cup final and the 2013-14 Community Shield, with United winning both.
Wigan have played United away on eight previous occasions, losing each game with an aggregate score of 1-28.
The Red Devils have progressed from 11 of their last 12 round four ties in the FA Cup, losing only to Liverpool in 2011-12.
The Latics have progressed from five of their last six games against top-flight sides in the FA Cup, failing only to do so in the 2013-14 semi-final v Arsenal.
Wayne Rooney has scored 10 goals in 15 previous games against Wigan, including doubles in three of those matches.
Manchester United have been eliminated from just one of their last 40 FA Cup ties against sides from a lower division (Leeds United in 2009-10).
Wigan have had two big wins in the Championship against Burton and Brentford but the gulf to Manchester United is too big. I see the cup holders strolling into the fifth round.
PAUL PREDICTS: 4-0 (8/1 with Sky Bet)
Manchester United are just 2/11 with Sky Bet to progress in 90 minutes, with Wigan 14/1 to cause an upset and 11/2 to earn a replay. Jose Mourinho's men are considered 11/2 third favourites to lift the trophy while their visitors have odds of 150/1 stacked against them. Zlatan Ibrahimovic heads the first goalscorer betting at 5/2 while Will Grigg is considered the Latics' main threat at 10/1.
