'A potential dark horse' – Bristol Rovers vs Wigan Athletic prediction: The72
09/12/2024 05:56 AM
Wigan Athletic head to the Memorial Ground this weekend to face Bristol Rovers in their latest League One clash.
Wigan Athletic were beaten 2-1 away at Birmingham City in their last game before the international break and gave a decent account of themselves against a side who are challenging for promotion. Shaun Maloney’s side have picked up three points from their first four outings.
The Latics find themselves in 20th position in the table and will be eager to hit some form and climb the table over the coming weeks.
They delved into the market over the summer to bring in the likes of Joe Hugill, Tyrese Francois, Calvin Ramsay and Toby Sibbick, among others, to bolster their ranks. They also waved goodbye to players such as Charlie Hughes, Ben Amos and Jordan Jones.
As for Bristol Rovers, they were beaten 2-1 away at Barnsley last Saturday and will be looking to bounce back from that defeat. They have seven points on the board so far and are 9th, two points off the play-offs.
Former Exeter City and Rotherham United manager Matt Taylor remains in charge of the Gas.
Here, a handful of our writers make their predictions for the game…
Harry Mail
“Wigan Athletic haven’t had the best start to the season and need to start picking up some points now.
“They have a very young squad and their recruitment was mainly focused on bringing in players who they can develop. For that reason, they lack experience.
“The Latics do have some exciting talents though and could cause problems for Bristol Rovers here.
“Matt Taylor’s side have won their first two home outings against Northampton Town and Cambridge United without conceding a goal. They have made the Memorial Ground a fortress and I can see them making it three wins on the spin on their own patch on Saturday.”
Prediction: Bristol Rovers 2-0 Wigan Athletic
James Ray
“Bristol Rovers have the wind in their sails and with Wigan Athletic enduring a tough start to the campaign, it’s hard to see things changing here.
“Matt Taylor is a manager I rate highly and with some solid players on the books, the Gas could be one to keep an eye on this season. If they can make the Memorial Stadium a fortress, they may just emerge as a potential dark horse in the play-off race.
“A win over someone like Wigan would affirm that, as despite their disappointing form, they’ve got a smart boss of their own and some really talented players to keep an eye out for.
“Going on sheer momentum though, I’ll back Rovers to get it done.”
Prediction: Bristol Rovers 2-1 Wigan Athletic
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