Needing just a single point to guarantee another season of League One football, Burton Albion's final home game of the season sees them host Wigan Athletic at the Pirelli Stadium on Tuesday night.
Gary Bowyer's men crucially bested doomed Cambridge United in the weekend's basement battle, whereas the Latics drew 1-1 with Blackpool and are only competing for personal pride now.
Match preview
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Significantly boosting their survival prospects while simultaneously ending Cambridge's stay in the third tier of English football, Burton Albion came up trumps in a chaotic clash with Neil Harris's men on Saturday, one in which both teams played the second half with 10 men.
Two red cards preceded three goals at the Pirelli Stadium, where Elias Kachunga cancelled out a Jon Dadi Bodvarsson opener to seemingly rescue a share of the spoils for Cambridge, only for Dylan Williams to open his account for the season with 93 minutes gone.
As the Amber Army lamented their side's demotion, the Burton faithful wildly celebrated a win that ought to prove pivotal in their fight against the drop, as their fate rests purely in their own hands heading into the final couple of matches.
The 20th-placed hosts are three points clear of Crawley Town and Bristol Rovers, in addition to having a game in hand on both, so Bowyer's troops simply need to draw with either Wigan or Charlton Athletic on the final day to preserve their third-tier status.
Burton's recent exploits in front of the Pirelli Stadium faithful spell optimism for their side's chances of securing survival on Tuesday, as Bowyer's men are on a nine-game scoring streak on familiar territory, while only suffering two losses in that time - to Bolton Wanderers and champions Birmingham City.
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While Burton are still fighting for their lives at present, Wigan are simply fighting for a potential top-half finish, although Ryan Lowe's Latics are at least ending the season as they mean to begin 2025-26, with an unbeaten streak and sense of defensive sturdiness.
This week's visitors made it six without defeat at the weekend, where Jon Mellish needed just three minutes to open the scoring against Blackpool, although Steve Bruce's men clawed their way back via a Lee Evans penalty in the second half.
Evans's spot kick denied Wigan a third win on the spin following previous 1-0 successes over Shrewsbury Town and Rotherham United, but Latics fans should not be losing sleep over that concession, as their 16th-placed side are safe from the drop and unlikely to force their way into the top 12.
Low-scoring showdowns have been the theme for the Latics all season long - both netting the fewest goals in the league (38) and conceding the third-fewest (40) - and with just seven goals scored across their last seven games, their commitment to tight contests is not ending anytime soon.
However, both sides have found the back of the net in the previous three matches between Burton and Wigan, two of which actually went the way of the Brewers by a 2-1 scoreline, offering hope of their League One status being rubber-stamped in midweek.
Team News
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Having been dismissed for two bookable offences in the crunch clash with Cambridge, Burton Albion playmaker JJ McKiernan must serve a one-match ban on Tuesday night, opening the door for three players in particular to take his place.
Fabio Tavares came off the bench to set up Williams's winner on Saturday and has put his name in the hat for a start here, although Anthony Forde and Mason Bennett are alternative options.
Forde may be called upon anyway to replace Kyran Lofthouse in the right wing-back slot; the latter limped off with an unspecified problem on Saturday, joining ACL victim Geraldo Bajrami on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Wigan came through their showdown with Blackpool unharmed at the weekend, but Liverpool loanee Luke Chambers remains out with a back injury, while 20-year-old Joe Adams is out for the season with an ACL injury.
Striker Will Goodwin remains out of contention with a quad problem too, leaving Dale Taylor as their only recognised number nine; Callum McManaman, Chris Sze, Maleace Asamoah and Jonny Smith are all battling to partner him.
Burton Albion possible starting lineup:
Crocombe; Armer, Sweeney, Godwin-Malife; Forde, Williams, Chauke, Dodgson; Tavares; Burrell, Bodvarsson
Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:
Tickle; Carragher, Kerr, Aimson, Robinson; Dale, Adeeko, Mellish; Weir; Sze, Taylor
We say: Burton Albion 1-1 Wigan Athletic
A match involving Wigan means a match without a glut of goals, although Burton have had the Latics' number in recent times and can make the most of the visitors having little on the line this week.
As Bowyer's men can always be backed to find the net on home soil, we have faith in the hosts to earn the point they need to stay up and condemn Crawley and Bristol Rovers to fourth-tier football next term.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
