Wigan Athletic host Mansfield Town in a League One fixture at Brick Community Stadium on Tuesday.

Gary Caldwell's side sit 21st in the table after a turbulent October, while Nigel Clough's Mansfield arrive 12th on the back of a home defeat to Notts County that ended their best run of the season.

Match preview

Wigan Athletic go into the game 21st in League One table with 10 points from 13 matches, a record of three wins, one draw and nine defeats that leaves them with a goal difference of -11.

Caldwell's side ended a run of three straight League One defeats by beating Bromley 3-2 at Brick Community Stadium on October 31.

That run had included a 3-0 defeat at Leicester City on October 27 and a 2-1 loss at Huddersfield Town three days before that.

It also took in a 2-1 defeat at Oxford United on October 20, a game in which Christian Saydee scored Wigan's goal and Fraser Murray was sent off.

Those results were sandwiched around a 1-0 home win over Reading on October 17, itself preceded by a 1-0 defeat at Stevenage on October 10.

Only Peterborough United, Barnsley and Bromley sit below Wigan in the table, with Caldwell's side having scored 11 goals in 13 league games while conceding 22.

Mansfield Town travel to Wigan 12th in League One with 18 points from 12 matches, a record of five wins, three draws and four defeats.

Clough's side had a four-match unbeaten run in the league ended by a 2-0 home defeat to Notts County at One Call Stadium on October 31.

Before that result, Mansfield had won 3-0 away at AFC Wimbledon on October 20 and followed it with a 4-1 win at Blackpool four days later.

Those victories sat either side of a 1-1 home draw with Oxford United on October 15.

The Stags also beat Bromley 2-1 at the One Call Stadium on October 10, continuing a season in which they have scored 20 goals in 12 league games against 18 conceded.

That goal difference of +2 reflects a campaign built on steadier underlying numbers than Wigan have managed so far this season.

Wigan Athletic League One form:

Mansfield Town League One form:

Mansfield Town form (all competitions):

Team News

Luke Harris remains out with a hamstring injury suffered at the start of September, and Caldwell said before the Bromley game that the Fulham loanee was four or five weeks from being available.

Sonny Perkins was following concussion protocols after coming off against Huddersfield and Archie Harris was being assessed for a minor hamstring problem, and neither played against Bromley.

Murray is available again after serving a three-match suspension for his red card at Oxford, while Gray, Max Power and Dara Costelloe all featured against Bromley, with Power playing 76 minutes and Costelloe coming on in the 64th minute.

Saydee is still building up after a calf injury and Caldwell has said he is getting closer to being able to play longer in games, so Hogan, who replaced him in the 64th minute on Saturday, is the obvious option to finish the game again.

Akeel Higgins returned to action at Leicester after a hamstring injury, while Ryan Trevitt, who has made one substitute appearance this season, was described by Caldwell as someone who might be available for the Bromley game and did not feature.

For Mansfield Town, David McGoldrick, who has not played since the 2-2 draw at Burton Albion on September 19, was expected on October 27 to be out for about another three weeks with a knee problem, and Akins, who hurt his hamstring during the international break, has no return date.

Liam Thompson, who had started every league game since joining, came off at half-time at Blackpool with what Clough described as a significant calf injury and faces an absence similar to Akins’s.

Baily Cargill, who was sidelined with a hamstring injury for the closing months of last season, remains doubtful.

George Abbott missed the derby after a knock sustained at Blackpool and is uncertain for Tuesday, which leaves Regan Hendry, who replaced him on the hour at Blackpool and then started against Notts County, as the likely holder of that midfield place.

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:

Whitworth; Barrett, Carragher, Burns, Weir, Miller; Gray, Power, Murray; Burrowes, Saydee

Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:

Roberts; Bowery, Oshilaja, Sweeney; Reed; Moriah-Welsh, Hendry, Russell, McLaughlin; Russell, Smith

We say: Wigan Athletic 1-2 Mansfield Town

Mansfield boast stronger numbers, with a positive goal difference compared to Wigan’s -11, and had suffered just one defeat in their previous five League One matches before losing to Notts County.

Wigan’s victory over Bromley will boost confidence at Brick Community Stadium, but it came against a bottom-four side and followed three consecutive defeats - Mansfield’s stronger form makes a narrow away win the most likely outcome, despite their own setback against Notts County.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.