Wigan v Tottenham Hotspur

Barclays Premier League
Venue: DW Stadium Date: Saturday, 2 April Kick-off: 1500 BST
Coverage: Watch highlights on Match of the Day; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles

TEAM NEWS

Wigan welcome back top scorer Hugo Rodallega after he missed the crucial win over Birmingham.

They are also boosted by all 12 of their international players returning fully fit.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has said Gareth Bale will not be risked ahead of the Champions League clash against Real Madrid on Tuesday.

They have worries in defence with William Gallas, Younes Kaboul, Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate all out.

Wigan

Injured: None

Tottenham

Doubtful: Huddlestone (fitness), Lennon (hamstring)

Injured: Bale (hamstring), Gallas (knee), Kaboul & Woodgate (both calf), King (groin)

MATCH PREVIEW

Tottenham’s highest profile match for a generation takes place on Tuesday when they face nine-time European Champions Real Madrid in their iconic Bernabeu home.

It’s very very difficult to prepare for Real Madrid because Wigan’s in the way first Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp

A trip to Wigan’s DW Stadium may lack the glamour of Madrid but it could prove to be just as crucial a fixture if Tottenham are to enjoy more nights like they face on Tuesday next season.

Their bid to finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League for the second season in a row has stalled in recent weeks as they have failed to win any of their last three matches – all against teams who have been in the bottom six.

They now face the league’s bottom club, Wigan, who remained at the foot of the table despite a vital last-gasp win over fellow strugglers Birmingham last time out. That victory moved them two just points from safety, but with only three home games left this season and with Chelsea away up next, it’s clear to see why the bookies have them as odds on favourites to go down.

However, as they showed against Birmingham, Roberto Martinez’s side fight until the end and the Spaniard is sure to base his team talk around his side’s stunning win over Spurs at White Hart Lane earlier in the season.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Tottenham have won six of their 12 meetings with Wigan in league and cup, losing only twice.

• Last season Tottenham scored 12 goals against Wigan in their two league encounters.

• Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe has scored 10 goals in 10 Premier League games against Wigan.

Wigan

• The Latics have only won two of their last 12 league games.

• Wigan have the worst shot-to-goal conversion rate in the Premier League, scoring with only 10% of their shots on target.

• They have gone eight games at the DW Stadium without keeping a clean sheet.

Tottenham

• Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe has scored 99 Premier league goals.

• Tottenham have kept just one clean sheet in their last 16 away games in the league.

• Spurs have recouped 21 points from losing positions this season – more than any other top-flight side.

• Tottenham have committed just 309 fouls this season, fewer than any other team in the league.

• Benoit Assou-Ekotto has made 93 interceptions this season, more than any other player.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Wigan

Rodallega: 7 goals (7 league); N’Zogbia: 5 goals (4 league)

Tottenham

Van der Vaart: 12 goals (10 league);
Bale & Pavlyuchenko: 11 goals (7 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Andre Marriner

Assistant referees: Jake Collin & Scott Ledger

Fourth official: Mark Halsey

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Wigan (W2-1 v Birmingham, h): Al Habsi, Boyce, Gary Caldwell, Alcaraz, Figueroa, Watson, McCarthy, N’Zogbia (Diame 90), Cleverley, Moses (Sammon 63), Di Santo (Rodallega 63). Subs not used: Pollitt, Gohouri, Gomez, Stam.

Tottenham (D0-0 v West Ham, h): Gomes, Corluka (Hutton 77), Gallas, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Sandro, Modric, Bale, Van der Vaart (Pavlyuchenko 71), Defoe. Subs not used: Pletikosa, Jenas, Crouch, Bassong, Kranjcar.