TEAM NEWS
Injury-hit Wigan will give fitness tests to forward Shaun Maloney (groin) and defender Gary Caldwell (hamstring) ahead of their Barclays Premier League clash with Manchester City. Defender Ivan Ramis (hamstring) is unlikely to feature after being forced off against Reading last weekend, but midfielder James McArthur and striker Franco di Santo are back in contention after coming off the bench in that game. Midfielders Albert Crusat (knee) and Ben Watson (broken leg), winger Ryo Miyaichi (ankle) and defender Antolin Alcaraz (groin) remain on the sidelines.
Manchester City defender Gael Clichy remains on the injury list as the Barclays Premier League champions travel to Wigan. The Frenchman has missed the last two matches with an ankle problem and is also unlikely to feature this weekend, but captain Vincent Kompany (knee) felt no ill effects after his 90-minute performance against Chelsea on Sunday. Midfielder Jack Rodwell (hamstring) is making progress but not ready to feature, while right-back Micah Richards (knee) remains out.
MANAGER QUOTES
Roberto Martinez: "I am not a manager that looks for a clean sheet. I am looking for a win. If you have to score three goals to win, as long as you can do it, I am happier with that. The amount of attempts we have created from open play, we look a real threat in that last third. That is a sign of a team that is starting to understand the role we are going to play at home, at times, when we play teams who are well organised or defensively well set up. You need to be a little bit patient but I can't be critical of our attacking play. It is as good as we have been going forward. Clearly you don't want to concede soft goals and at the moment we are doing that. But if you can find a way to outscore the opposition, I would take that rather than just keeping a clean sheet in every game."
David Platt (Roberto Mancini was absent on his birthday): "That is testament to him (Matija Nastasic). He has stepped in. The first couple of games he has had to get used to English football but he has done that very quickly. The really, really good performance - he has had several good ones - but the real one where it might have been a bit alien to him was when we went down to West Ham. You knew the ball was coming in, they were hitting the diagonal balls towards Andy Carroll and I thought he acquitted himself exceptionally well. You get that a lot in the Premier League that you don't get in Serie A and it shows there is an old head on young shoulders to adapt to that."
MATCH FACTS
Manchester City have won six and lost none of their last seven Premier League games against Wigan.
In that run of seven games, Wigan have netted only one goal and failed to score in the last five in a row.
Carlos Tevez has scored four goals in five Premier League games for Man City against Wigan.
Prior to their win over Fulham in September, Manchester City had won none of the previous 13 games officiated by Mark Halsey (D2 L11), including losing the previous eight in a row
Wigan have never won a Premier League game with Mark Halsey as referee (W0 D2 L2).
City have drawn four of their last six Premier League away games, the last two ending 0-0.
Man City have come from behind to win 14 points this season, only Man Utd (18) have more.
If City avoid defeat in this game they will match their unbeaten start of 14 unbeaten last season. Only two teams (Arsenal twice & Man Utd) have gone on longer unbeaten runs at the start of a Premier League season.
Wigan's Jordi Gomez has had a shot every 18 minutes this season, the fastest rate in the division.
Wigan have conceded more penalties than any other Premier League side this season (4).
MATCH ODDS
Wigan 5/1, City 8/15, Draw 3/1
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