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FA Cup Lancashire derbies can be like buses. Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic had never previously met in the FA Cup before their fourth round clash last month but a goalless stalemate means they must go head-to-head for the second time on 16th February, this time at the DW stadium.
A tough last 16 trip to Fulham awaits the winner but the allure of the latter stages of the competition was not enough for both managers to field full-strength teams at the Reebok Stadium. Wigan are preoccupied with their relegation battle and put out a team full of fringe players, an approach that paid partial dividend against a strong Bolton team that is looking up rather than down the Premier League table. They’ll more than a few FA Cup bets placed on them progressing.
As pleased as Roberto Martinez was with his team’s battling effort in the original tie, another meeting with strong opposition is not ideal as his team continue to battle against the drop. Expect a similar approach to team selection from both managers.
Bolton have lost their last six league away fixtures, a dramatic collapse of form on the road having lost only one of their first seven away assignments. Owen Coyle will be desperate to rediscover that away form and will stick with much of the team that performed creditably in a narrow defeat at Spurs in their last away match.
Wigan’s crucial 4-3 win over Blackburn was just their third in 14 home league matches, so Bolton’s local rivals appears a good place to end their poor run of results on the road. Five of the 11 Premier League meetings between these teams have ended in draws and extra time might well be needed in this one, with Bolton the team to back to progress.
