Match Preview: Wigan Athletic vs Everton

When you look at the fixtures, one game you always want to see is an early game against Everton. Normally a game against Everton now would be a point at the least as they slowly start to meander their way through the Premier League. That was untill they decided they like playing well in the early part of the season. So now thing have changed, and Wigan must face a harder and toughened Everton side, which will not be easy to beat.

Are Wigan ready for the challenge? Well if you took into account our performance against Sunderland, then you have to be impressed. We look strong and confident on the ball and deserved all three points. Add to that the return of Franco Di Santo and you have a very interesting prospect for the weekend ahead.

One downside is that Antolin Alcaraz is unlikely to make any sort of return. His strength and Ariel ability would be need to deal with the beat which is Mauro Fellaini. The attacking midfielder, is going to cause our back three some problems unless they toughen up and are ready for the battle.

The other area we could get caught out on, is the wings. Everton has added wisely in these areas, and Steven Pienaaar and Kevin Mirallas on either side add some real flair and pace. Something we often find it hard to cope with Gray Caldwell often found lagging behind the attackers.

Is it all doom and gloom, well it looks like it defiantly.

There is hope though, and that hope again will come through our central midfielders. If they can play like they did against Sunderland then it will be Everton on the back foot. Our combination of James (McCarthy and McArthur) and Shaun Maloney can easily out class any midfield and that has to be the aim again this weekend to out pass and play the Everton midfield.

Doing that will be a lot easier with the return of Di Santo to allow Maloney to drop into a deeper role. In the last few games Maloney has played higher up the park to support Arouna Kone. Yet with it now being Kone supporting the big frame of Di Santo, it lets us work the ball better.

Speaking of strikers there is a man to watch in the Everton line-up who's name will scare the pants of our defenders. Nikica Jelavic. The striker who signed in January for Everton hasn't just done well since moving south of the border, he has been exceptional. In 18 games for the club he has scored 12 goal, and to think we were looking at signing him ourselves, what a player to lose out on.

Jelavic though isn't a striker who scores spectacular goals, or takes on ten players and then scores. He is a true fox in the box (or even around it), he looks for the chance when the ball is lose and the opposition defence aren't watching. Before he pounces and score. It sounds so simple and for Jelavic it is.

So have we got enough to match Everton? I would like to say yes, but on their current form and the way they are playing; if we don't step up our game to their level, then this game could be an absolute romp for the blue half of Liverpool.