Watford vs Wigan Athletic Prediction: Wigan has had difficulty recovering from losing positions

On Saturday afternoon, when they host relegation-threatened Wigan Athletic in the Championship, Watford will be seeking consecutive victories at Vicarage Road. After a triumph over Birmingham City on Tuesday night, the Hornets kept their playoff hopes alive, while Wigan split the points with Coventry City at the DW Stadium on the same day.

Watford’s Form

On Tuesday night, Watford secured their first win under new manager Chris Wilder, defeating Birmingham 3-0 at Vicarage Road. Imran Louza and Keinan Davis scored in the first half, giving Watford a comfortable two-goal lead, which they maintained despite increased pressure from the visitors in the second half. Britt Assombalonga scored his first goal for the club in the latter stages of the game. This win has elevated Watford to 10th place in the Championship standings, but they are currently six points behind sixth-placed Millwall with only nine games remaining, making it a challenging task to qualify for the top six. Watford has performed well at Vicarage Road in recent games, remaining unbeaten in their last six home matches. They will aim to extend this run in their upcoming match on Saturday. Joao Pedro has been a crucial player for Wilder's team this season, and his creative contribution will be necessary until the end of the season if Watford hopes to finish in the top six.

Watford’s possible starting lineup

Davis, Pedro, Louza, Bacuna, Kone, Sema, Hoedt, Cathcart, Porteous, Ngakia and Bachmann

Wigan Athletic’s Form

Shaun Maloney took charge of Wigan in February and oversaw a successful start with four unbeaten matches, including a crucial win against Huddersfield Town. However, the team has failed to win any of their last seven matches in the second tier, which could lead to them losing their Championship status if this trend continues. Despite a draw against Coventry on Tuesday night, where they managed to salvage a point thanks to a Kyle McFadzean own goal, Wigan's situation in the table did not significantly improve. With just nine games left, they are at the bottom of the Championship standings and are six points behind 21st-placed Cardiff City before the international break. Ahead of their game against Watford on Saturday, Maloney will be relying on players like Ashley Fletcher and Thelo Aasgaard to challenge the opposition's defense. However, Wigan's fans may not be too optimistic since their team has not won an away match since October.

Wigan Athletic’s predicted lineup

Keane, Fletcher, Sinani, McClean, Tiehi, Power, Darikwa, Nyambe, Rekik, Hughes and Amos

Watford vs Wigan Athletic expert tips

In their victory against Birmingham, Watford displayed a quick start, and Wilder is likely hoping his team will do the same when they face Wigan on Saturday. Wigan has had difficulty recovering from losing positions, particularly when playing away from home. After already facing tough opponents like West Bromwich Albion and Burnley earlier this month, Wigan is set to face another formidable opponent at Vicarage Road. Therefore, we anticipate that Maloney's men will not be able to secure a win on Saturday, and our prediction is that the game will end with a Watford win, with fewer than 2.5 goals scored.