Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — Match Preview
A tense League One battle takes place at The Brick Community Stadium this Tuesday as Wigan Athletic host Burton Albion. Both sides find themselves locked on 22 points in the bottom half of the table (17th and 19th respectively), separated only by goal difference. This is a classic “six-pointer” where the winner can breathe a sigh of relief and look toward mid-table safety, while the loser risks being dragged closer to the relegation dogfight.
The Latics, managed by Ryan Lowe, have steadied the ship slightly with a 4-point haul from their last two games, including a morale-boosting 2-1 away win at AFC Wimbledon. However, a goalless draw against Stevenage last time out highlighted their struggles to break down stubborn defenses at home.
Burton Albion, under Gary Bowyer, are in a more precarious state. After a mini-revival in early November, the Brewers crashed back to earth with a heavy 4-0 home defeat to Leyton Orient on Saturday. Bowyer will demand a reaction from his players, specifically a defensive tightening, as they travel to face a Wigan side that hasn’t been prolific in front of goal.
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — Quick Match Info
- Fixture: Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion
- Competition: Sky Bet League One (Matchday 18)
- Venue: The Brick Community Stadium, Wigan (Capacity: 25,133)
- Date: Tuesday, 3 December 2025
- Kickoff Time: 19:45 GMT / 20:45 CET / 01:15 IST (Wednesday)
- Referee: Martin Woods
- TV Channel (UK): Sky Sports+
- TV Channel (International): Latics TV / iFollow Brewers
- Live Stream: Sky Go, Latics TV
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — Match Context (2025/26 Season)
Wigan Athletic:
- Position: 17th in League One (22 Points).
- Form: Mixed but improving. A crucial win against Wimbledon and a solid point vs Stevenage suggest Ryan Lowe is making them harder to beat.
- Current Challenge: Creativity. With key wingers like Joseph Hungbo questionable and Isaac Mabaya injured, Wigan often look one-dimensional. They need to find a spark to unlock Burton’s low block.
Burton Albion:
- Position: 19th in League One (22 Points).
- Form: Volatile. They can beat Blackpool (1-0) one week and get hammered by Leyton Orient (0-4) the next.
- Current Challenge: Resilience. The heavy defeat last weekend could have damaged confidence. Gary Bowyer needs to rebuild their defensive shape immediately, or Wigan’s Paul Mullin will punish them.
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — What’s at Stake
For Wigan Athletic:
- Home Comforts: Wigan need to turn their stadium into a fortress to climb the table. A win here would put daylight between them and the bottom four.
For Burton Albion:
- Bouncing Back: Losing 4-0 is a psychological blow. A result at Wigan is essential to stop a potential spiral of poor form.
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — Team Form
Wigan Athletic (Last 5 Matches):
- D vs Stevenage (0-0)
- W vs AFC Wimbledon (2-1)
- L vs Stockport County (1-2 – Trophy)
- D vs Exeter City (1-1)
- W vs Hemel Hempstead (2-1 – FA Cup)
Burton Albion (Last 5 Matches):
- L vs Leyton Orient (0-4)
- W vs Blackpool (1-0)
- L vs Crewe (1-3 – Trophy)
- W vs Bradford City (2-1)
- D vs Rotherham (2-2)
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — Team News
Wigan Athletic:
- Injury List: The Latics are missing Liverpool loanee Isaac Mabaya (Achilles) and midfielder Ryan Trevitt (Thigh). Jordan Jones (Foot) is also out.
- Doubts: Babajide Adeeko, Joseph Hungbo, and Jack Rogers are all rated as questionable. If Adeeko misses out, Matt Smith will likely continue in midfield.
- Key Man: Paul Mullin (on loan from Wrexham) is the main goal threat and will lead the line.
Burton Albion:
- Injury List: Defender Finn Delap (Inactive) and Jason Sraha (Inactive) are unavailable, stretching defensive options.
- Doubts: Midfielder Charlie Webster is questionable with an injury.
- Selection: Goalkeeper Bradley Collins will need a big performance after conceding four last week. Toby Sibbick faces his former club in defense.
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — Head to Head
- 30 Apr 2025: Burton 1–1 Wigan
- 22 Jan 2025: Wigan 1–2 Burton
- 29 Mar 2024: Wigan 1–1 Burton
- 04 Oct 2023: Burton 2–1 Wigan
- 13 Apr 2022: Burton 0–0 Wigan
- Analysis: This has been a difficult fixture for Wigan recently. They haven’t beaten Burton in their last 5 meetings (2 Draws, 3 Losses).
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — Predicted Lineups
Wigan Athletic (4-2-3-1):
Ryan Lowe likely sticks to a balanced shape to control the game at home.
- GK: Sam Tickle
- RB: Calvin Ramsay
- CB: Jason Kerr (C)
- CB: Will Aimson
- LB: Morgan Fox
- CDM: Matt Smith
- CDM: Tyrese Francois
- RW: Callum McManaman
- CAM: Thelo Aasgaard
- LW: Michael Olakigbe
- ST: Paul Mullin
Burton Albion (3-5-2):
Bowyer might revert to a back three to stop the bleeding defensively.
- GK: Bradley Collins
- CB: Toby Sibbick
- CB: Alex Hartridge
- CB: Ryan Sweeney
- RWB: Udoka Godwin-Malife
- CM: George Evans
- CM: Kegs Chauke
- CM: Ciaran Gilligan
- LWB: Dylan Williams
- ST: Danilo Orsi
- ST: Fabio Tavares
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — Impact Bench Options
Wigan Athletic:
- Christian Saydee: A physical striker who can hold the ball up if Wigan need to go more direct in the second half.
- Jensen Weir: Offers energy and box-to-box running if the midfield battle becomes stagnant.
Burton Albion:
- Tyrese Shade: Explosive pace on the wing. If Burton are chasing the game, he is their best outlet.
- Jake Beesley: A target man option if they need to bypass the midfield with long balls.
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — Tactical Outlook
Wigan Athletic:
- Playing Style: Patient Build-up. Lowe wants his team to dominate possession at home. They will look to feed Thelo Aasgaard between the lines.
- Weakness: Defensive Transitions. They often get caught out when full-backs push too high, which Burton will look to exploit.
Burton Albion:
- Playing Style: Counter-Attack. After the 4-0 loss, expect a low block. They will try to frustrate Wigan and hit long balls to Fabio Tavares or Orsi.
- Strength: Physicality. Burton are a big team. They will target set-pieces as their primary route to goal.
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — Key Battles
| Matchup | Battle Type | Edge |
| Paul Mullin vs. Toby Sibbick | Poacher vs. Stopper: Mullin lives on the shoulder of the last defender. Sibbick knows him well (former teammates). This psychological battle is key. | Wigan |
| Thelo Aasgaard vs. George Evans | Creativity vs. Destruction: Aasgaard is Wigan’s creative hub. Evans must man-mark him or Wigan will create chances at will. | Wigan |
| Jason Kerr vs. Danilo Orsi | Aerial Duel: Orsi is a handful in the air. Kerr needs to be dominant to prevent Burton from gaining a foothold. | Tie |
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — Spotlight Players
Thelo Aasgaard (Wigan Athletic):
The Norwegian youth international is the most talented player on the pitch. His ability to shoot from distance or thread a through ball is Wigan’s X-factor. If Burton give him space, he will punish them.
Bradley Collins (Burton Albion):
The Burton goalkeeper will be under the microscope after conceding four goals last weekend. He needs to command his box and make crucial saves to restore confidence to his backline.
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — Fan Reactions
Wigan Fans:
“We owe Burton one. They always seem to beat us. Mullin needs to start scoring goals for fun now.”
“A clean sheet and a 1-0 win would do nicely. We just need points.”
Burton Fans:
“That Orient game was embarrassing. The players need to show some pride.”
“A draw away at Wigan would be a great result right now. Stop the rot.”
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — Match-Defining Factors
- First Goal: Both teams are fragile. Whichever team scores first will likely go on to win or at least not lose.
- Burton’s Response: Will they crumble again if they concede, or will they fight? Their mental resilience is the biggest question mark.
- Wigan’s Crossing: With Burton packing the middle, Wigan might need to rely on crosses from Ramsay and Fox.
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — Prediction
Score Prediction: Wigan Athletic 1–0 Burton Albion
Betting Insights:
- Outcome: Wigan to Win (Home advantage + Burton’s poor morale).
- Total Goals: Under 2.5 Goals (Wigan aren’t high scorers; Burton will defend deep).
- Both Teams to Score: NO.
Analysis: This is unlikely to be a classic. Both teams are struggling for fluidity. However, Wigan’s home advantage and Burton’s disastrous defensive display last weekend tip the scales in favor of the Latics. Expect a tight, nervy game decided by a single moment of quality, likely from Aasgaard or Mullin.
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — Final Word
Wigan Athletic have a golden opportunity to climb the table against a Burton Albion side that looks devoid of confidence. While history favors the Brewers in this fixture, current form suggests the Latics should have enough quality to edge a low-scoring contest at The Brick Community Stadium.
Wigan Athletic vs Burton Albion — FAQs
When is the Wigan vs Burton match?
The match kicks off on Tuesday, 2 December 2025, at 19:45 GMT.
Is Isaac Mabaya playing?
No, Isaac Mabaya is out with an Achilles tendon injury.
Who is the Wigan manager?
Ryan Lowe is the current head coach of Wigan Athletic.
Where can I watch the match in India?
The match can be streamed via Latics TV (international subscription).
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