by Michael Baggaley
michael.baggaley@thesentinel.co.uk

CASE FOR DEFENCE

SAME again for Stoke in defence as they aim for a third successive clean sheet.
Thomas Sorensen had no actual saves to make against Rovers, but dealt well with the barrage of crosses, corners and free-kicks that Rovers launched into the Stoke area during the first-half.
Skipper Abdoulaye Faye remains a doubt with a back problem, but would struggle to get into the team anyway because of how Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth shone against Rovers.
Goalscorer Danny Higginbotham continues at left-back, where he shows no sign of surrendering his place having won it back from Danny Collins.
Andy Wilkinson continues at right-back, complete with the seven stitches he received after getting booted in the head while clearing the ball from his own six-yard box on Saturday.
Wilkinson was switched to left-back to deal with Wigan’s right winger Charles N’Zogbia in the game at the Britannia in August, but looks likely to stay on the right tonight because Higginbotham has been solid on the left.
Wigan’s Colombian striker Hugo Rodallega plays as the lone hit-man in the Latics 4-5-1 formation.
However, wide men N’Zogbia and James McCarthy, on the left, will get forward in support.
Attacking midfielder and Austrian international Paul Scharner will also be expected to help out the front man.

MIDFIELD BATTLE

STOKE are likely to make some changes for their second game in four days. Tony Pulis has shown in the past he is most willing to rotate his midfielders.
The form of Matthew Etherington, pictured right, and Dean Whitehead makes them just about undroppable, but Whitehead could be moved out to the right as he was at Sunderland last week.
That would accommodate the return of Salif Diao to central midfield, while Glenn Whelan could also return for Rory Delap in the centre.
Wigan play with two defensive central midfielders in Mohamed Diame and Hendry Thomas. That gives the versatile Scharner more freedom to get forward to support Rodallega.
Left-footed winger N’Zogbia plays on the right, where City will be wary of his pace and his willingness to cut inside.

CUTTING EDGE

TUNCAY back in the side for Ricardo Fuller was always the most likely change, regardless of Fuller’s arrest over the weekend. Tony Pulis has rotated the strikers over the last couple of months, so Tuncay was always favourite to return after starting on the bench against Blackburn.
Mama Sidibe starts in the deep-lying striker role. James Beattie will be on the bench to replace Sidibe, while Fuller will have the role of “impact substitute” in place of Tuncay.
Wigan will play centre-half Emmerson Boyce at right-back because the former Luton defender has impressed in the position since replacing the injured Mario Melchiot.
That leaves the much-improved Titus Bramble in central defence alongside Scotland international Gary Caldwell, who signed from Celtic a month ago.
Maynor Figueroa, who scored with a fabulous 60-yard free-kick at the Britannia in December, continues at left-back.
Former Liverpool keeper Chris Kirkland will be hoping to boost his outside chance of a place in the England squad with by putting in a solid display.