League One preview and odds: Rochdale vs. Wigan

Published on: 12/11/2015

League One preview and odds: Rochdale vs. Wigan

November 14, 2015 12:30pm - Spotland

League One

This weekends early kick-off in League One will be live on Sky Sports One as mid-table Rochdale welcome fifth-ranked Wigan to Spotland on Saturday.

Rochdale looking to break drawing habit

After a run of four league draws, three of which were goalless, Rochdale will be looking to bag all three points for the first time since September when they face Wigan on Saturday. They had a rare taste of victory last weekend when they disposed of Swindon Town in the first round of the FA Cup by three goals to one. Unfortunately, they followed up that win with a 0-1 defeat to Morecambe in the Football League trophy.

The Dales mediocre league form has left them suspended in mid-table, six points above the relegation zone and six points shy of the play-off positions. Their current run of four league games unbeaten is their best of the season but a haul of four points from those four games has hardly improved their situation. A win this weekend could see them break into the top half of the table, or even into the top ten.

Wigan looking good for a play-off place

Wigan are on nine-game unbeaten run during which they have won four and drawn five matches. After winning just one of their first four games in the league, the recently-relegated team have turned their form around, losing just one of their last 12 fixtures. As a result, Gary Caldwells men now sit in fifth-place in the table and look like a good bet to grab a play-off place. In fact, if they can maintain their current momentum, they could soon be challenging for the automatic promotion positions.

Last weekend their stride was broken by a 4-0 thumping at the hands of Bury in the FA Cup, but they bounced back by handing out a 4-0 thrashing of their own to Blackpool in the Football League trophy.

Team news

Jamie Allen, Ian Henderson and Callum Camps are all doubtful for Rochdale after picking up recent injuries. Allen will face a late fitness test after suffering a dead leg, while Henderson is likely to miss out as his continues his recovery from a foot injury. Camps was stretchered off in the FA Cup game against Swindon last weekend and is unlikely to feature.

Wigan Athletic will be without the duo of Will Grigg and Donald Love who have both called up to represent their national teams this week. Grigg will join the Northern Ireland squad for the friendly against Latvia in Belfast on Friday, while Love will be part of the Scotland Under-21 team due to face Ukraine in non-competitive encounter, also on Friday.

Recent form (League)

Rochdale: DDDDL

Wigan: WDWWD

Betting odds and tips

Rochdale have lost just two of their eight home games this season, having won four and drawn two. Meanwhile, Wigan have won just two games on the road having drawn three and lost three.

Wigan have scored in their last six away games in the league and can be expected to find the net again on Saturday. However, Rochdale are tough to beat on home soil and may yet again end up playing out a stalemate.

The draw can be backed at 12/5 with Betfred and a correct score of 1-1 can be backed at 13/2 with Betvictor.

Published on: 12/11/2015

Any odds displayed within this preview were correct at the time of publishing (12/11/2015 13:03:31) but are subject to change.