Match Preview | Wigan Athletic vs Cardiff City
Wigan Athletic face Cardiff City at the Brick Community Stadium this weekend in a clash that sees both sides looking to bounce back. The Latics come into the game after a tough 4–1 derby defeat to Bolton last weekend and a midweek Carabao Cup exit against Wycombe Wanderers, while Cardiff suffered their first league defeat of the season at Bradford before hitting back with a cup win over Premier League outfit Burnley. With both teams aiming to respond positively and regain momentum, fans can expect a competitive and hard-fought encounter in Wigan.
Ahead of kick-off, fans can look forward to a range of heritage celebrations at the Brick Community Stadium. The club will be honouring its proud past with special displays, activities around the ground and opportunities for supporters to connect with Wigan Athletic’s history, adding extra significance to the matchday experience.
Wigan Athletic: 12th
Wigan approach Saturday with tension in the air, after an absolute thrashing at the hands of local rivals Bolton last weekend, and It’s fair to say that Wigan fans weren’t at all happy with Ryan Lowe’s post match reaction. To make things worse, an alleged member of the club, whether that’s staff or player, was seen throwing a bottle towards Bolton fans from the Wigan team bus, certainly giving the club a bad name, and that’s really not on. Midweek, saw Wigan face Wycombe in the 3rd Round of the Carabao Cup, and the performance was off a very poor nature, with the match ending 0-2 to Wycombe, and the Latics really lacked that creativity going forward, a performance that felt like one from the end of Shaun Maloney’s managerial spell.
Cardiff City: 4th
It’s been the start Cardiff needed, so far in this 25/26 campaign, with new boss, Brian Barry-Murphy bringing aggressive, possession-based football to the Welsh capital, on their road back to the EFL Championship. Last weekend it was defeat for the Bluebirds as Bradford got the better of the side Yorkshire soil, and it marked Cardiff’s first defeat off the new season, with usual proceedings not being matched. Despite the defeat, Cardiff turned it round with a mighty victory against Premier League Burnley, to mark their place in the 4th Round of the Carabao Cup. Going into this game, Murphy will be hoping to see standout stars, Ruben Colwill & David Turnbull regain some form, and will be looking for the clean sheet.
Head-to-Head Record
Wigan Wins: 12
Draws: 12
Cardiff City Wins: 7
Predicted Lineup – Wigan
In regards to the lineup, I think Jensen Weir will cover Jason Kerr, I wouldn’t say he’s the best fit but Ryan Lowe seems to like him playing in this role, & as for the wing I’m assuming that Raphael Borges Rodrigues will replace Fraser Murray, he bought plenty of energy into the Bolton match second half and Ryan Lowe may experiment. The biggest news is that Saydee’s back and his energy has been missed up front, I’m hopeful he’ll be straight back into the starting 11, and will be able to mark the occasion with a goal.
Injuries & Suspensions
- Christian Saydee – Is due to return after serving a 3 match ban.
- Jason Kerr – Absent from the past 3 matches, no news whether he will return to the starting XI or not
- James Carragher: Knee Injury – returns in around 4 weeks.
- Chris Sze: Unknown injury – return date (unknown)
Score Predictions
Our human score predictions are just for fun and based on personal opinions, recent form, and match context. They are not expert advice and should never be used for things like betting or making financial decisions. For more details, please visit our disclaimer.
Curtis’ Prediction: Wigan Athletic 1-1 Cardiff City
💭“Going into this game I’m not exactly filled with confidence after two not so inspiring performances, and Cardiff who I will admit, I didn’t think would be relegation fodder last season and so far in League One they have only registered 1 loss in 8 games played which shows their strength, so I think the best outcome here will be a draw but I would not be surprised if there was a loss incoming.”
Charlie’s Prediction: Wigan Athletic 1-1 Cardiff City
💭”I wouldn’t say I expect to come away with a draw, but for the sake of the club, a draw would give us a sense of joy and would crack a few smiles on faces, after a very lacklustre past week of football. We have to be on high alert of Ruben Colwill & David Turnbull, and going forward getting the ball passed Nathan Trott will not be easy.”
Wigan Fan Predictions
Fred’s Prediction: Wigan Athletic 0-1 Cardiff City
💭 “Would love to say we’ll fight for the +3, but I just can’t see it, Cardiff’s form outweighs us, and I think Colwill be a handful from start to finish.”
Morgan’s Prediction: Wigan Athletic 1-2 Cardiff City
💭 “I reckon 2-1 loss with the way we have been playing recently I don’t really have any possibility that we can win plus Cardiff are definitely a favourite to win the league this season so I’m not counting on any shock win for Wigan.”
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) Predictions
Artificial Intelligence (AI) predictions use data and algorithms to forecast football match outcomes based on team form, stats, and other relevant factors. While we aim for these predictions to be as accurate as possible, they are not guaranteed and should not be relied upon to make decisions, including betting. For more information, please refer to our disclaimer.
ChatGPT: Wigan Athletic 1–1 Cardiff City
💭 “Wigan will be eager to respond after a difficult week and should lift their performance in front of a home crowd on their heritage day, but Cardiff’s solid start to the season and attacking threat make them tough opponents to beat.”
Grok: Wigan Athletic 1-1 Cardiff City
💭 “Cardiff City, 4th in the 2025/26 League One table with 17 points from 8 matches, have a strong defensive record despite a recent 1-3 loss to Bradford City, while Wigan Athletic, around 10th-12th with 10-12 points and solid home form including a recent 3-0 win over Doncaster, are likely to match them in a tight contest with no major new suspensions or injuries reported for either side, making a draw the most probable outcome.”
Gemini: Wigan Athletic 1-2 Cardiff City
“Based on their recent performances, Cardiff City has the upper hand, with a better league position and a recent victory over a Premier League side, while Wigan has struggled with inconsistent form and back-to-back defeats.”
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