Wigan v Stoke preview

Pulis: In the spotlight

Skysports.com prediction:
Wigan 2 Stoke 0

Sky Bet odds: Wigan 5/6 Draw 5/2 Stoke 10/3

One to watch: Emile Heskey

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• Stoke City
• Wigan Athletic

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• Follow the action with skysports.com
• Sky Sports experts' weekend preview

Stoke City will look to make it three wins in a row when they travel to Wigan's JJB Stadium on Saturday.

Tony Pulis' men have been in the spotlight this week after Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger declared that they deliberately tried to injure his players in the Gunners' 2-1 defeat at the Britannia Stadium.

Stoke will want to put all that behind them as they look to build on the Arsenal result and the 1-0 win against Sunderland prior to that.

Just two points separates the two sides with Wigan sitting precariously above the drop zone in 17th while Stoke's good form has seen them rise to 13th.

Wigan also recorded an impressive win last Saturday when they overcame Portsmouth 2-1 at Fratton Park to end a run of four straight defeats.

Team news

Wigan will have Lee Cattermole available despite media reports saying that the midfielder was suspended.

The Latics have confirmed that Cattermole is on four yellow cards and has served his one match suspension for his red card against Sunderland.

The game will come too early for Erik Edman as the defender only just made his comeback from a cruciate ligament injury in a reserve clash with Middlesbrough on Tuesday after being out of action since March.

Wigan will hope Amir Zaki continues his goalscoring form with the Egyptian joint leader of the Premier League charts on eight.

Emile Heskey claimed the 100th league goal of his career when he bagged the winner against Portsmouth on Saturday. It was 30-year-old's first goal since netting against Hull in August.

Understandably, Pulis is set to name an unchanged side to the one that beat Arsenal.

That means Amdy Faye, who replaced Tom Soares for the Gunners clash is likely to keep his place in midfield.

Long term absentees Liam Lawrence (ankle) and Andrew Davies (knee) are still out.

Possible starting XI's

Wigan: Kirkland, Melchiot, Bramble, Boyce, Figueroa, Koumas, Cattermole, Palacios, Valencia, Heskey, Zaki.

Stoke: Sorensen, Griffin, Abdoulaye Faye, Shawcross, Higginbotham, Delap, Amdy Faye, Olofinjana, Diao, Fuller, Sidibe.