Premier League preview: Wigan v Queens Park Rangers

6 December 2012 08:57

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez will bank on Chilean midfielder Jean Beausejour to inspire his side against Queens Park Rangers.

Beausejour has three assists for the season, playing generally on the left wing position in Martinez's 3-4-3 formation, and with Arouna Kone and Jordi Gomez hitting a bit of form, Wigan should be confident of claiming their fifth victory when QPR visit on Saturday.

Kone and Gomez have scored five of Wigan's past 10 goals in the Premier League with the latter hitting a hat-trick in the team's latest win; a 3-2 triumph at home over Reading on November 25.

In fact, 11 of Wigan's 15 goals this campaign have come at the DW Stadium, which should give Martinez and his men plenty of confidence against the worst-defensive side in the league.

QPR continue to languish at the bottom of the Premier League table without a victory to their name and just six points, while Wigan are 16th with 14 point, two clear of the relegation zone.

The home side could welcome back four players on Saturday against QPR with central midfielder Shaun Maloney (groin) the most likely to be brought straight back into Martinez's starting line-up.

Antolin Alcaraz (groin), Crusat (knee) and Ryo Miyaichi (ankle) are the other Wigan players expected to recover in time for the QPR match.

For QPR, Stephane Mbia is expected to have recovered from the neck injury he sustained against Aston Villa last week for the trip to Wigan.

QPR drew that match 1-1 after Aston Villa took an early lead with Jamie Mackie scoring the equaliser for Harry Redknapp's team.

Redknapp has led the struggling London-based club to successive draws in his first two matches on the bench for QPR but will know he needs to start picking up wins soon if they are to avoid relegation.

Wigan hardly head into this clash in decent form having lost their past two games without scoring.

But Martinez will be fully aware of the importance of his side's run up until 2013 with the QPR fixture the first of three against teams in the bottom half.