We take a look at Wigan ahead of Saturday's game...
Wigan Athletic provide the opposition for Paul Warne's Rotherham United as they visit the AESSEAL New York Stadium in Sky Bet League One on Saturday. We take a look at who the Millers are facing in our opposition analysis...
In the Dugout
Manager Paul Cook has managed over 300 games and has collected five pieces of silverware in the process. As a player, he represented Marine, Wigan Athletic, Norwich City, Wolves, Coventry City, Tranmere Rovers, Stockport County, Burnley and Accrington Stanley, making over 600 career appearances in total before hanging up his boots.
His first managerial post was with Stockport County for a year before moving to Irish club Sligo Rovers. He won his first bit of silverware in 2010 as he guided Sligo Rovers to the League Cup in September 2010, after a 1-0 win over Monaghan United. In November 2010 he won his second, the FAI Cup, ensuring that he got his hands on the prize following a 2-0 penalty shootout win against Shamrock Rovers. He went onto to win the same competition for a second successive season in 2011, again after a penalty shootout that ended 4-1 against Shelbourne.
In early 2012, he joined Accrington Stanley and had a short stint, before moving to Chesterfield in October 2012. In his second season with Chesterfield he won the League Two title and helped Chesterfield to a League One play-off place the following season.
He moved to Portsmouth in May 2015 and oversaw their ascension to the third tier as they secured the League Two title in May 2017.
Stats
Wigan are the joint top scorers in the league, boasting the same tally in the ‘For’ column as Peterborough with both having found the net 33 times. They also have the meanest defence in League One, having only seen their defence breached on 11 occasions. They sit currently 2nd in the table and trail table-topping Shrewsbury Town by just one point. Winger Ryan Colclough celebrated a special day on Tuesday, scoring a brace in a 3-0 win against Doncaster, before rushing to hospital to celebrate the birth of his second child.
Previous Meetings
This is the 36th meeting between these two teams. The Millers have win 11 of those encounters with five of the games ending with the spoils being shared, while Wigan have prevailed as victors in 19. The last time these two sides met was in April 2017 in a game which Wigan won 3-2 at the DW Stadium to take three points in the Championship. Goals from Gabriel Obertan, Alex Gilbey and a stoppage time winner from Nick Powell cancelled out finishes from Danny Ward and Anthony Forde.
Ones to Watch
Our player watch starts with former Everton youth goalkeeper Jamie Jones. The 28-year-old joined Wigan on a one-year contract after rejecting a deal from Stevenage and has kept eight league clean sheets so far this season, which has helped the Latics to becoming the division’s meanest defence at present.
Centre halves Dan Burn and Chey Dunkley have competition with ex-Hull City defender Alex Bruce for a starting XI spot. Leicester City loanee Calum Elder has been frequently called upon to operate on the left, while on the right, former Tottenham youngster Nathan Bryne has been ever present for Wigan this season.
Egyptian international Sam Morsy partners on loan Wolves midfielder Lee Evans in the middle of midfield but Cook can call upon either Max Power or ex-Bournemouth man Shaun McDonald if required. Wingers Gavin Massey and Ryan Colclough have received rave reviews for their performances so far in 2017/18.
Striker Nick Powell has scored seven goals so far this season and is currently the club’s top scorer. They have Ivan Toney on loan from Newcastle and Northern Ireland striker Will Grigg, who scored 25 League goals last time he was in League One, finishing as the top scorer.