FA Cup Fourth Round Preview: Wigan Athletic vs Fulham

Fixture: Wigan Athletic vs Fulham

Date: Saturday, 8 February 2025

Kick-off: 15:00 GMT

Venue: The DW Stadium, Wigan

Wigan Athletic and Fulham will battle it out in the FA Cup fourth round, with the Latics looking to rekindle the magic of their 2013 FA Cup triumph and cause an upset against Premier League outfit Fulham.

Shaun Maloney’s side has endured an inconsistent League One campaign, but cup competitions often bring out the best in Wigan, and they will be hoping for a big performance in front of their home fans. Marco Silva’s Fulham, meanwhile, have their eyes on a deep cup run but will need to be wary of an unpredictable lower-league opponent.

• D 1-1 vs Lincoln City (League One)
• L 0-1 vs Peterborough (League One)
• W 2-0 vs Bristol Rovers (League One)
• L 1-2 vs Burton Albion (League One)
• W 2-1 vs Stevenage (League One)
  

• Third Round: W 2-1 vs Cambridge United
• Second Round: W 2-1 vs Mansfield Town

Wigan progressed to this round after battling past Cambridge and Mansfield, showing resilience in both games.

• W 2-1 vs Newcastle United (Premier League)
• L 0-1 vs Manchester United (Premier League)
• W 2-0 vs Leicester City (Premier League)
• L 2-3 vs West Ham (Premier League)
• W 4-1 vs Watford (FA Cup Third Round)

Fulham were dominant in their last FA Cup outing, thrashing Watford 4-1.

• Wigan have won five meetings, Fulham 12, and 15 matches have ended in draws.
• Their last meeting was a 1-1 draw in the Championship in 2020.
• Wigan’s last victory over Fulham came in 2006 when Henri Camara scored the only goal in a 1-0 win.
• Wigan famously won the FA Cup in 2013, beating Manchester City in the final.
• Fulham, despite a strong Premier League season, have struggled in the FA Cup, with their last quarter-final appearance coming in 2023.
  

Midfielder Silko Thomas is a doubt after limping off against Lincoln, while Tyrese Francois should return to the squad to face his former club.

• GK: Sam Tickle
• DEF: Toby Sibbick, James Carragher, William Aimson, Jon Mellish
• MID: Harry McHugh, Sean Smith
• ATT MID: Josh Smith, Jensen Weir, Joseph Hungbo
• ST: Dale Taylor

Key Player: Dale Taylor – The young forward has been a bright spark in Wigan’s attack but will need to take his chances against a strong Fulham defence.

Reiss Nelson, Harry Wilson, and Kenny Tete remain sidelined, but Marco Silva is expected to rotate and give opportunities to fringe players.

• GK: Steven Benda
• DEF: Ryan Sessegnon, Issa Diop, Calvin Bassey, Timothy Castagne
• MID: Harrison Reed, Tom Cairney
• ATT MID: Adama Traoré, Andreas Pereira, Josh King
• ST: Rodrigo Muniz
  

Key Player: Rodrigo Muniz – The Brazilian has stepped up in cup matches and could prove to be Fulham’s biggest goal threat.

• Compact defensive shape to frustrate Fulham.
• Use Weir and Hungbo’s pace on the counter-attack.
• Look to make the most of set-piece opportunities.
  

• Dominating possession and stretching Wigan’s defence.
• Full-backs pushing high to create overlaps.
• Rotated squad but strong enough to control the game.
  

Wigan will battle hard and have a history of big FA Cup upsets, but Fulham’s extra quality and squad depth should see them through. Expect Wigan to put up a fight, but Fulham to have too much firepower in the end.

Final Score Prediction: Wigan Athletic 0-2 Fulham

Fulham to advance, but Wigan won’t make it easy.

The magic of the FA Cup is always alive—can Wigan summon another historic giant-killing, or will Fulham prove too strong and continue their march towards Wembley? We’ll find out on Saturday!

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