Wigan Athletic vs Reading: Match Preview

The Royals are looking to kick off March with a second away win of 2025.

What a performance it was against Birmingham City. Holding the league leaders to a draw and actually being the better team in the second half showed real determination from the youngsters we have.

With Reading going into exclusivity again, it’s all positive vibes around the club, heading into what could be the most important month of our recent history both on and off the pitch.

Wigan Athletic come into this game in pretty decent form, having most recently beaten Huddersfield Town 2-1, as well as a couple of draws against Wycombe Wanderers and Crawley Town. They’re starting to progress after being in a similar position to Reading a few seasons ago, and it’s a point of hope for Reading fans to see another club be able to survive.

In this preview I will have a look at the next five fixtures of teams in fifth to 10th to see who has the best and hardest runs going into the final stint in the league, and I will give my predictions.

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What? League One matchday 33

Season? 2024/25

Who? Wigan Athletic

Where? Brick Community Stadium

When? Saturday March 1

Time? 15:00

Opposition manager? Shaun Maloney

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Playoff rivals’ fixtures

Currently, the fifth to 10th positions are made up of Huddersfield, Leyton Orient, Charlton Athletic, Bolton Wanderers, Reading and Barnsley. They are separated by eight points and are all considered to be in a playoff battle for the last two spots.

I am going to have a look at these teams’ next five fixtures to see where it would leave each team going into the last seven or eight games of the season.

Let’s go top to bottom, starting with Huddersfield.

• Stevenage (A)
• Wrexham (H)
• Bristol Rovers (A)
• Crawley (H)
• Wycombe (A)

These are some difficult games. starting with Stevenage away from home. I expect minimum a draw from Huddersfield. I am going to go for a 2-1 win. Wrexham for any team is a difficult team to play against. I am going to go for a 3-1 loss.

Bristol Rovers have been on some decent form recently under Inigo Calderon. I will go for a 1-1 draw. Crawley are another side that seem to be picking up a few draws recently but need a win to help them survive in the league. My prediction is a 1-0 Huddersfield win.

Wycombe, like Wrexham, is a hard place to go to. I am going to say a 2-0 loss.

This would leave Huddersfield with seven out of a possible 15 points, leaving them on 62.

Richie Wellens has worked wonders with Leyton Orient this season, with them currently in sixth. However, form has dipped going into this week, with two losses against top sides.

• Charlton (H)
• Rotherham United (A)
• Northampton Town (H)
• Blackpool (A)
• Mansfield Town (A)

Charlton I think will be a loss. They have been picking up unlikely victories recently and this will be one of them. 2-1 Charlton.

Rotherham are another that, against decent teams, seem to pick up points, but against worse teams seem to drop them quite frequently. I’m going to go for 1-0 Rotherham.

Northampton are playing quite well recently, but I don’t see any other result than a Leyton Orient Win. 2-1.

I also think Orient will beat Blackpool. A side that have been really hit or miss recently needs to be strong against a top team. 2-0 Leyton Orient.

Mansfield desperately need a win. I think this is where they will get it. I’m not sure why, but I just feel this will be the game they do it. 1-0 Mansfield.

Six points from 15 would leave Orient on 59 points.

Charlton’s fixtures are:

• Leyton Orient (A)
• Barnsley (H)
• Stockport County (A)
• Crawley (A)
• Wigan (H)

As I have already said, Charlton will beat Leyton Orient 2-1.

I watch a lot of Callum Fowler’s videos and every prediction he does on his team Barnsley he gets wrong. I think his prediction will be a loss so I’m going to go for 1-0 Barnsley.

I also think they will lose at Stockport. It’s such a hard place to go and they tactically outmanoeuvre every team. 3-0 loss.

Crawley will be a win. Poor form and in the relegation zone just leads to upset. 2-0.

Wigan are a difficult side to predict. I’m going to predict a 1-0 Wigan win.

Nine points leaves Charlton also on 62 points.

Bolton are next.

• Wrexham (A)
• Birmingham City (H)
• Burton Albion (A)
• Bristol Rovers (A)
• Stockport (H)

Wrexham will be a loss in my opinion. Although they lost on penalties in midweek, I don’t see a way for them to not come out with points. 2-0 Wrexham.

Birmingham are another that I think will be a loss. They are nine points clear with a game in hand, two on some teams. 2-1 Birmingham.

Burton are on form at the minute, especially away from home. 1-0 Burton.

A potential of three losses in a row could knock some confidence of players and fans. I think the Bristol Rovers game will be 1-1.

Stockport will be a loss. I just think they will be too strong for Bolton. 1-0 Stockport.

One point from five games would leave then on 54 points.

Next it’s Reading.

• Wigan (A)
• Exeter City (H)
• Crawley (A)
• Wrexham (H)
• Stevenage (H)

I won’t be biased. Wigan will be a tough one, and I think it will be a draw. 1-1. The Royals will win against Exeter 2-0, and Crawley will be another win. 1-0.

Wrexham will be a loss - 2-1 - and I can guarantee Sam Smith scores against us. Stevenage is another tough game to call. I reckon it will be a 1-1 draw.

Eight points would put Reading on 58.

Last but not least, Barnsley.

• Lincoln City (H)
• Charlton (A)
• Blackpool (H)
• Mansfield (A)
• Cambridge United (H)

Lincoln will be a draw. 1-1. I’ve already stated I think the game against Charlton will be a 1-0 win, while Blackpool will be a 1-1 draw, Mansfield will be a 1-0 loss and Cambridge will be a 2-0 win.

This would but Barnsley on 57 points.

With these predictions it means that, going into the final games of the season, this will be the order:

Charlton, Huddersfield, Leyton Orient, Reading, Barnsley, Bolton

I will do another one of these for the final five games of the season.

My lineup

Joel Pereira will be in goal. The stopper has been included in WhoScored’s team of the season so far and he deserves it.

The defence will be the same as last week: Michael Craig, Amadou Mbengue, Tyler Bindon and Andre Garcia, but Andy Yiadom may appear off the bench, playing for the first time in 10 months.

The midfield will also be the same as we don’t have any other replacements. Harvey Knibbs, Charlie Savage and Lewis Wing will take up the spots.

The attack is where I think changes will happen. I reckon we will see a full debut for Billy Bodin, who will play alongside Jayden Wareham and Mamadi Camara.

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Score prediction: 1-1

Good luck to those going to the game.

Come on you Royals!