Preview: Rotherham United vs. Wigan Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming for a 4th consecutive League One triumph astatine the New York Stadium, Rotherham United invited Wigan Athletic connected Boxing Day, keen to unafraid maximum points successful gameweek 22.

Although the visitors person avoided losing successful 2 matches, it volition beryllium absorbing to spot if the Latics' mixed distant grounds holds retired against 1 of the in-form location sides successful the 3rd tier.

Match preview

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Rotherham mightiness beryllium 18th successful League One, 4 points wide of the relegation portion (having played 1 crippled less than Crawley Town), but the Millers' results successful beforehand of their supporters person kept them supra water.

The South Yorkshire outfit person been beaten successful lone 2 of 9 fixtures connected location turf, claiming 5 wins and playing retired 2 draws.

Interestingly, 4 of the location club's triumphs astatine the New York Stadium person been successful the erstwhile 5 arsenic hosts, with lone third-placed Wrexham beating the Millers successful South Yorkshire successful that period.

Only Wrexham (13 points), table-topping Birmingham City (13) and fourth-placed Huddersfield Town (13) person accrued much points connected location ungraded successful the past 5 than Rotherham (12), an admirable statistic fixed the trio's lasting arsenic promotion hopefuls.

Having kept 2 cleanable sheets successful their past 3 location fixtures, Steve Evans' troops purpose for a 4th occurrence connected the trot to amended their semipermanent endurance prospects.

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The Millers invited Shaun Maloney's men connected Boxing Day, keen to outwit the Greater Manchester outfit, whose signifier has improved earlier the engaged festive period.

Wigan had suffered 3 consecutive defeats successful each competitions (two successful League One) earlier mid-December but person recovered impermanent solutions to bushed Bolton Wanderers (2-0) and play retired a gully with Shrewsbury Town (2-2).

Regardless, the Latics participate their forthcoming lucifer astatine Rotherham carrying immoderate disappointment aft letting a two-goal pb gaffe against the division's bottommost club, with that necktie preventing them from signaling consecutive wins for the 2nd clip this term.

Although the array shows that some sides facing disconnected connected Boxing Day are separated by 1 spot and a point, Maloney's 17th-placed men indispensable contend with the Millers' commendable signifier astatine New York Stadium and clasp their distant doggedness to unafraid a affirmative outcome.

Wigan person been hard to bushed connected their travels, arsenic evidenced by 5 cleanable sheets successful 10 roadworthy fixtures and 9 goals conceded successful that period, a tally bettered by Huddersfield, Wrexham and Stevenage (eight).

Those numbers basal the Tics successful bully stead heading into Boxing Day, arsenic they anticipation to notch consecutive distant triumphs for the archetypal clip since April, erstwhile they defeated Lincoln City and Portsmouth (both 2-1).

Rotherham United League One form:

Rotherham United signifier (all competitions):

Wigan Athletic League One form:

Wigan Athletic signifier (all competitions):

Team News

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Sean Raggett is Rotherham's lone reported wounded absentee earlier Wigan's sojourn connected Thursday, frankincense handing Evans a reasonably steadfast squad.

Jonson Clarke-Harris has netted 3 goals successful the Millers' 5 location victories, including a brace successful the 3-0 occurrence implicit Northampton Town connected December 14, and the guardant aims to adhd to his tally connected location ungraded and wide league instrumentality (six).

Although Maloney besides has astir players available, the distant broadside volition measure Tyrese Francois earlier Thursday's travel to South Yorkshire.

Thelo Aasgaard (seven goals) and Dale Taylor (four) person jointly contributed to 58% of the distant side's 19 league goals, highlighting their value astatine Rotherham.

Rotherham United imaginable starting lineup:
Phillips; Rafferty, Odoffin, Jules, James; Green, Tiehi, Powell; Nombe, Clarke-Harris, Wilks

We say: Rotherham United 1-1 Wigan Athletic

Wigan person had Rotherham's fig successful caller meetings, winning 3 and playing retired arsenic galore draws successful the past six match-ups since the Millers' 3-1 EFL Cup occurrence successful 2018.

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