Wigan Athletic welcome Barnsley to the Brick Community Stadium on Saturday, with a four-match unbeaten run behind them and an opportunity to turn renewed confidence into precious League One points.
Kick-off is at 3pm on Saturday 14 November. Latics begin the weekend in 21st place on 11 points, two points ahead of the visitors in 23rd, although Barnsley have played two fewer games. A win could lift Wigan out of the relegation places, depending on results elsewhere.
Barnsley again — but league points come first
Death, taxes and Barnsley. Monday’s FA Cup draw means the Reds will be back at the Brick for a second-round tie, adding another meeting to a season that already includes two league fixtures and August’s Carabao Cup encounter.
That cup game at Oakwell finished 1–1 before Barnsley progressed on penalties. There will be time to think about the FA Cup rematch, but Saturday has its own significance. With both clubs in the bottom four, neither can afford to treat this as a warm-up for anything.
A run worth building on
The 3–2 victory over Bromley and goalless draw with Mansfield Town brought four points from Wigan’s last two league games. Since then, a 3–0 FA Cup win at Boreham Wood and Tuesday’s 2–1 success at Crewe Alexandra have kept the momentum moving in the right direction.
At Crewe, Latics recovered from falling behind to win through goals from Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen and Harrison Rimmer. Rimmer’s first senior goal helped secure top spot in the Trophy group and a home tie in the next round. Caldwell praised the response of a side blending experienced players with youngsters, and the willingness to keep working when the game became difficult.
Those cup wins have given supporters something to enjoy. The next step is to make that improvement count in the competition where Wigan most urgently need results. Four unbeaten is encouraging; extending it with three points would carry considerably more weight than simply protecting the sequence.
The visitors have found their shooting boots
Barnsley’s league position tells only part of the story. Daniel Stendel’s side have scored 12 goals in their last two matches, beating Aldershot 7–2 in the FA Cup and Oldham Athletic 5–2 in the Trophy.
They remain without a league win in eight matches, but arrive with confidence restored. Makenzie Kirk scored twice against Oldham, while Daniel Johnson and Luke Alker opened their accounts for the club. Wigan cannot assume that a team below them in the table will arrive short of belief.
There is also a reason for Latics to stay positive if the game is tight. Barnsley have conceded 16 second-half league goals this season, compared with six before the interval, according to the Yorkshire Post. Maintaining pressure and making good use of the bench could matter just as much as the opening exchanges.
Team news
Caldwell reported no fresh injury problems in his pre-match update, with Scott Hogan and Archie Harris hoping to return to contention. Their availability is not yet confirmed. Hogan was forced off against Mansfield with an ankle injury, while Harris has been dealing with a hamstring issue.
Dara Costelloe’s recent groin setback and Luke Harris’s ongoing absence have limited the options available. Final selection will depend on fitness assessments, and the confirmed line-up will be the clearest guide to who is ready.
For Barnsley, Jack Shepherd is suspended, while Conor O’Riordan is expected to miss out with a shoulder problem. Those defensive absences give Stendel decisions to make despite the recent upturn in results.
What Latics need to get right
This is a game to approach with purpose, but also patience. Wigan need to make Barnsley defend, move the ball with intent and avoid handing the visitors easy opportunities through careless turnovers.
There may be nervous spells given the stakes. Keeping the crowd involved and responding positively when Barnsley have possession will be important. The recent wins offer evidence that Latics can recover from setbacks; the challenge now is to bring that resilience into another league afternoon at the Brick.
Our prediction: Wigan Athletic 2–1 Barnsley
Both sides have reasons to feel better about themselves after their cup results, so this looks unlikely to be straightforward. Home advantage and Wigan’s improving momentum just tip it towards Latics. A narrow win would be a valuable next step, even if there is still plenty of work ahead.
Match details: Wigan Athletic vs Barnsley · Sky Bet League One · Saturday 14 November 2026 · 3pm GMT · The Brick Community Stadium.
Turnstiles open at 1.30pm. The club’s matchday guide lists the ticket office opening from 10am, with tickets available until kick-off.
Follow Wigan Athletic vs Barnsley in our Match Centre for line-ups, match events and statistics as they become available.
Sources: Wigan Athletic’s matchday guide; Caldwell’s Crewe reaction; Wigan Today’s pre-match update; Wigan Today’s injury report; Yorkshire Post’s Barnsley team news and defensive analysis. Team news correct at publication on 13 November.