GOALKEEPER Nicky Weaver remains Manchester City's major doubt for the trip to Wigan.
The former England Under-21 international has only just returned to training after missing last week's home draw against Sheffield United with a back injury, so teenager Joe Hart is standing by to deputise once more.
Sylvain Distin, Claudio Reyna and Hatem Trabelsi should all recover from minor knocks but Darius Vassell (knee) and DaMarcus Beasley (ankle) are definitely out. Ishmael Miller is doubtful with a hamstring strain, while Ben Thatcher serves the final game of his eight-match ban.
One full-back who has enjoyed a better time of things than Thatcher this season is Wigan's Leighton Baines - a man who City boss Stuart Pearce believes could step up to international level soon.
"Along with Wayne Bridge, Leighton Baines is the one of the best two left-backs in the country behind Ashley Cole," said Pearce.
"He is improving all the time and the more games he gets in the Premiership, the better he will become.
"He is a decent player and I don't believe he would let England down if he did play against Holland."
Wigan boss Paul Jewell is set to name an unchanged squad as his side look to claim a first victory in seven matches.
Only striker David Cotterill (ankle) and long-term casualties Ryan Taylor and Steve McMillan are unavailable, but none of the three featured in last weekés home defeat to Manchester United.
Former Hearts centre-back Andy Webster stepped up his bid for full match fitness with another full 90 minutes for the reserves at Newcastle on Thursday night, but a place on the bench is probably the best he can hope for.
Wigan Athletic (from): Kirkland, Boyce, Hall, de Zeeuw, Baines, Teale, Valencia, Landzaat, Scharner, Kilbane, Todorov, Camara, McCulloch, Heskey, Pollitt, Jackson.
Manchester City (from): Weaver, Hart, Schmeichel, Distin, Dunne, Jordan, M Mills, Richards, Trabelsi, Barton, Dabo, Hamann, Johnson, Ireland, Reyna, Miller, Sinclair, Corradi, Dickov, Samaras.
Last season: Wigan 4 City 3
Key opponent: Emile Heskey - Bound to cause problems in City's defence with his strength and aerial ability
Prediction: Wigan 1 City 1
Agree with the prediction? Have your say.
You can get 7/1 on City winning 1-0 with Betfred. For this and more odds, click here.
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Wasn't Beasley set for a return from injury LAST week? Tey he's still out. And Sturridge has been missing for 5 weeks now since he suffered a "knock". Sunny is stikll out after FOUR months with a hamstring "strain"! Other clubs players are getting back sooner from broken legs!
No Miller or Beasley. That means Captain America will be on the left wing again. Brilliant. Europe here we come.
City will lose again - they always lose away and Pearce has no idea how to prevent this sequence. I hate to say it but Lawrenson is right. Perhaps if we had some forwards who could trouble the opposition this might not happen. I desperately hope I am wrong but too many happy clappers refuse to see the downward trend and they ought to take their blinkers off. Pearce is not the man.
I hope we win this and our season turns. Last season this was the game where it all went wrong and we slid into relagtion form! If we lose then it's backs against the wall time again.
i reckon city will score, 1-1 is a fair prediction. miller will play hopefully, then at least we'll have a balanced midfield. pearce will probably play the same formation as he did against everton, and they are a much better team than wigan. if city had taken their chances against sheffield united they would've have easily won that game. don't expect scintillating football tomorrow but city are capable of a draw. joey can run the game if he shows enough commitment, he has a good record against wigan..and there's no bullard to compete with this time.
Did we sign Beasley or did I dream it? Don't players have to pass a rigorous medical before they sign,or is that just for rich clubs?
I fear City will be outmuscled ,outworked,outran, outwitted and outdone at Wigan.
its a complete and utter joke this!! the half decent players we sign never play cos there always injured! no wonder no other team bids for them the scouting network here is a farce iv had enough!!!
City to play like they did against Reading, which was mostly good, and to get the goals for a change. 2-1 away win.
Surprise surprise, more unexplained injuries. There really is something drastically wrong with the medical procedure at City. Reading the Goat's book, he even says about when he signed "All that was left was the medical - which was BASIC to say the least" We really do need to sort this out, because it is becoming farcical!
Was not Weaver 1 dayaway last Saturday. This Medical team is a complete Joke. What the hell is going on......Anyone out there reading this article.
Well, despite all the injuries our team looks alright and at least we're able to stick to the same line-up as last week. That's not too bad...
I think, Dunne & Co. will actually manage to keep them from scoring, so my guess is another 0-0 or a narrow 1-0 victory.
I think Pearce is doing an 'ok' job considering his circumstances. I hope we play as we did at Everton - get Wigan frustrated and pinch one on the break to give the supporters something to keep the spirits up as they seem to be at an all time low. Oh and pearce should do everything he can to sign Steve Sidwell who will be a class addition to the squad - if another club signs him i will lose all belief that we will ever be a force in English football again - never mind Europe. BLUE ARMY.
I predict that this will be painful to watch.
I hope we've not started paying DeBeasley's salary yet...
looking at the BBC football website I observe Mark Lawrenson has predicted Wigan to beat us 2-0. He reckons after we sold Andy Cole we have struggled to score goals and although I thought Cole was originally a bad signing because of his age and his prone to injuries he may be right.However the quality of football served up against Sheff Utd was very poor and at present we have little to argue against anti Man City pundits such as Lawro.Furthermore Sibierski scored again for Newcastle last night yet he couldn't hit a barn door from ten yards for us - TYPICAL!
Lawro has forecasted a 2-0 defeat, so City to win 1-0. Yes, French Tony scored the winner for Newcastle, can we sign him in Jan. Don't think so. Come on City!
I Have been saying this for months,we haven't got a medical team,they're useless.shay given is nearly back for newcastle after tearing his stomach yet simple hamstrings at city keep you out for months.
Everybody have their doubts about this match, we should've won Sheffield for example. Wigan is a tough place to visit, always has been for any club so I would be happy to see a draw at least, 1-1 The fact is we haven't lost for a while now so a win is bound to happen any day now. (I might be the most optimistic man alive today) Our team is not that bad really, they just need a kick in the backside, so to speak. I won't be able to see the game but I'll be rooting for you lads. GO CITY!
who is going to create scoring opportunities never mind hit the onion bag? ¿¿6M for a Greek who cant trap a bag of cement. who signed him? Pearce Oh he says SAMARAS is an uncut diamont , just WHEN exactly Stuart is he going to deliver consistently? Oh when we are in the CHAMPIONSHIP NEXT SEASON? out of the present squad there is only Dunne,Richards,Ireland,Weaver and Barton who are fit or good enough to play in the Prem PEARCE AND WIGLEY ARE A PAIR OF LOSERS.
I'm personally not too afraid of Emile Heskey - let's get a shut-out in this one and hope that Samaras finally shows up on the road. I think we could nick it 1-0. Come on Citeh!
ok ok ok, lets have it right now, last week against da blades we should have NOT of won because we just didnt seem hungry for et. and if we go into this match against wigan like we did last week, i can see em putting four past us again like they did last season. i have said time and time again, i dont think is up for the job of manager and i hope he gets the sack. Curbishley is my personal favourite simply because of the fact he did a fantastic job at charlton. pearce doesnt have an eye for talent we can all agree on , ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿m on a greek donkey, who has let each chance fly away, Bernado corradi , 10 goals in 36 apps last season for parma ,why would you buy him, we want someone to score goals, not someone who scores every so often, ??????????????? pearce is a S**t manager and i ope he gets the sack, hes ruining the club, and all you fans praise him because he gets us a win ebery 6 games or so. dont be fooled ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wigan 4 - 0 city , my prediction , sorry but its the way i feel
Serious questions must be asked of the medical team !
I think Wigan will win this one. I must say I am surprised by the fact that only 1800 City fans are making the short journey. Not the support of the massive club you clearly are. Also, I thought more of you would want to see the JJB stadium. You have only been once before, and next season you will be visiting layer road and oakwell to name but two. I would like to remind you all to get to as many as away games as possible this season, you will never realise how good the premiership was until next august when it will be gone.
cant wait for the game and another city defeat,just got home from a great night out in Irlam on the heights all red fans in the pubs and they are looking forward to WIGAN stuffing the disgrace of MANCHESTER FOOTBALL >>>> CITY the LOSERS ha ha ha ha off to bed now Wigan - 3 City - 1 MAN UNITED - 3 LIVERPOOL -0 ANOTHER GREAT WEEKEND BECKONS ha ha ha ha good night you LOOOOOSSSSSERSSS ha ha ha ha