Watford v Wigan Athletic preview

By Alan G
December 30 2006

Arjan de Zeeuw returns to the squad for the trip to Watford after missing the Boxing Day visit to Old Trafford with a toe injury.

Paul Scharner is ruled out for 6 to 8 weeks after having surgery to rectify a training ground knee injury.

 

Henri Camara’s knee injury keeps him ruled out, whilst Lee McCulloch serves the last of his three-game ban for his attempt to decapitate Sheffield United’s Chris Morgan.

 

Watford defender Danny Shittu (ankle) will have a late fitness test.

 

Hameur Bouazza (shoulder) is set to miss up to six weeks, while Marlon King (knee), James Chambers (gash) and Clarke Carlisle (muscle) are also out.

 

Watford (from): Foster, Stewart, DeMerit, Mahon, Henderson, Young, Shittu, Bangura, Mariappa, Smith, Francis, Doyley, Lee, McNamee, Priskin.

Latics (from): Kirkland, Jackson, Hall, Kilbane, Cywka, Johansson, Landzaat, Heskey, Boyce, Cotterill, Skoko, Baines, de Zeeuw, Wright, Todorov, Teale, Pollitt.

 

Paul Jewell:

 

"I haven't just woken up and thought 'we're in a relegation fight'. I knew we would be in a dogfight with 10 other teams.

"We've 22 points, which isn't the worst points total in the world, but we're down there and we need to get some points pretty quickly if we're going to get 40.

"But I'm not surprised to be in this position. I always said this season would be harder than last season."

 

Referee: Steve Tanner (Somerset)