Squad sheets: Wigan Athletic v Birmingham City

Even the elements appear to be conspiring against bottom club Wigan – their warm-weather break in La Manga this week turned out to be gloomier than the atmosphere they left behind – and an improved Premier League outlook will depend on winning matches like this. Roberto Martínez will feel the portents for victory are good: fellow strugglers West Bromwich, Wolves and Blackburn all succumbed at the DW Stadium. Meanwhile, f F or the Carling Cup winners, Birmingham, whose debilitating injury problems have eased considerably over the past few days, the threat of relegation remains real despite having lost fewer league games than sixth-placed Liverpool. Richard Gibson Venue DW Stadium, Saturday 3pm Tickets £20-22 (0871 66 33 552) Last season Wigan 2 Birmingham 3 Referee Lee Probert This season's matches 18 Y 44, R 5, 2.72 cards per game Odds Wigan 6-5 Birmingham 14-5 Draw 12-5 Wigan Subs from Kirkland, Pollitt, G Caldwell, Watson, McCarthy, Stam, López, Gómez, McArthur, McManaman, S Caldwell, Sammon, Di Santo Doubtful Boyce (hamstring), Rodallega (leg) Injured None Suspended None Form guide LLDWDL Disciplinary record Y51 R4 Leading scorer Rodallega 7 Birmingham Subs from Doyle, Mutch, Davies, Zigic, Parnaby, Murphy, Bentley, Phillips, Derbyshire, Redmond, Fahey, Bowyer Doubtful Bentley (groin), Bowyer (hamstring), Fahey (hamstring), Zigic (groin) Injured Vallès (ankle, 21 Mar), Hleb (knee, 2 Apr), McFadden (knee, May), Dann (hamstring, Aug) Suspended None Form guide DLLWWD Disciplinary record Y42 R1 Leading scorers Gardner, Zigic 5 Match pointers • Birmingham have not scored more than two goals in a top-flight match since they beat Wigan 3-2 at the then JJB Stadium 51 matches ago • Ben Foster has made the most saves (172) in the division in 2010-11 • Charles N'Zogbia has embarked on more dribbles (241) than any other player • If he receives a yellow card, Lee Bowyer will become the first player in Premier League history to reach 100 bookings • On average, Wigan score their first goal in the 55th minute of matches, later than any other side