ARSENAL PREVIEW: Safe-again Wigan now chase Europa Cup place
Wigan Athletic v Arsenal Barclays Premier League JJB Stadium Saturday April 11, 2009 Kick off: 3pm Tickets: Sold Out After reaching the magic 40 point mark with a 1-0 win over Hull City on March 22, Wigan s Premier League status is all-but assured for
Wigan Athletic v Arsenal
Barclays Premier League
JJB Stadium
Saturday April 11, 2009
Kick off: 3pm
Tickets: Sold Out
Most Read
- 1 Police called to 'youth with knife trying to climb school gates'
- 2 Alexandra Palace: 2 hospitalised in Red Bull's Soapbox Race
- 3 Night-time fishing suspended at Vale of Health following 'antisocial behaviour'
- 4 Jailed: 9 north London offenders put behind bars in June
- 5 I want to philately! Freddie Mercury’s stamp collection goes on display
- 6 The Rolling Stones prove rock ‘n’ roll is alive and kicking at Hyde Park
- 7 Covid: North London hospital admissions rising amid national surge
- 8 Elvis Presley songwriter and former Ham&High columnist dies aged 82
- 9 Five classic Rolling Stones moments at BST Hyde Park
- 10 Bentley Motor blue plaque in North London 'prized off wall and stolen'
After reaching the magic 40 point mark with a 1-0 win over Hull City on March 22, Wigan's Premier League status is all-but assured for next season.
The Latics currently occupy eighth place and are now just three points behind West Ham United as they look to kick on and take a place in the inaugural Europa Cup next season.
Whether the effective Egyptian striker Amr Zaki can help them do that remains a mystery. Zaki failed to return from international duty last week and an exasperated Steve Bruce, Wigan's manager, went public with his criticism claiming it is the not the first time the player has gone AWOL since arriving on loan from El Zamarek.
Zaki has failed to find the target since December 28 but beforehand a hot run of nine goals in his opening 13 games attracted interest from Europe's big clubs.
South Korea midfielder Cho Won-Hee will definitely miss out after straining calf muscles on international duty against North Korea last week. He is not expected to play again this season.
Wigan have made their modern JJB Stadium a fortress, losing just four times in 15 home games this campaign, with three of those defeats coming before November.
On their last league outing they were beaten easily by Everton, 4-0 at Goodison Park. Prior to that loss they had won twice in quick succession to give themselves considerable daylight from the bottom three.
Arsenal, who have already beaten Wigan twice this term, 1-0 in the league and 3-0 in the Carling Cup, will enjoy the backing of more than 4,000 travelling fans at the JJB as they look for their first win at Wigan since December 2006.
1
