Wigan vs Northampton Prediction: Lowe’s Latics to start as they mean to go on

Wigan Athletic make their League 1 bow this season by welcoming Northampton Town to the Brick Community Stadium this Saturday (15:00). The Latics won this fixture 2-1 last season, before being held by the Cobblers in the return at Sixfields.

Neither of Saturday’s managers were in situ for the corresponding game, with both men only in place by the reverse fixture. Kevin Nolan took the Northampton job in December 2024 while Wigan boss Ryan Lowe took over from Shaun Maloney in March of this year. Both clubs are looking for some upward mobility this term. The hosts were perfectly mid-table in 12th last season while Northampton had a season to forget in 19th. Our own Statman Dave does not expect things to improve for either side.

Team News

Wrexham favourite Paul Mullin has joined the Latics on loan and is the most high-profile new face who could debut on Saturday. The striker is certainly the only player who had a role in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Wigan have also picked up a player who will be a familiar face to the opposition. Burnley’s Dara Costelloe spent the latter half of last season on loan at Northampton, scoring six goals in 15 games. The Republic of Ireland under-21 international will spend this season at the Brick Community Stadium.

While Lowe will be able to call upon some summer buys, the comebacks of injured Tyrese Francois, Stephen Sessegnon and Matt Smith will be just as valuable.

Football Odds

Nolan has looked to a former club to strengthen his ranks. The Northampton boss has signed West Ham United defender Michael Forbes on loan. He is not the only Premier League youngster to arrive at Sixfields, with Jack Perkins joining from Nottingham Forest on a permanent deal.

There is good and bad news on the injury front. Nolan will have a big personality back in his ranks in Sam Hoskins, while Jordan Willis has overcome a recent setback. However, Tom Eaves, Jon Guthrie and Liam Shaw are all expected to miss out.

Wigan vs Northampton Odds

The Latics are 5/4 for the victory, giving them a 44.4% implied probability of victory. Northampton are well in this at 5/2 while the draw is priced at 21/10.

Wigan to win @ 5/4

The Latics got the better of this tie last term and I think they are just as well-placed to succeed here. 

Mullin adds a little something extra up front, even if injuries and the step-up in leagues pinned him to just three goals in 26 Wrexham outings last season. I expect the cult favourite to prove a point away from the Welsh side.

Northampton thrive from set pieces, while their open-play numbers are lacking. Last season, Nolan’s men scored a league-low 19 goals from open play, as offered by StatMan Dave in his EFL League 1 Predictions article published earlier in the week. I think they will struggle to break Wigan down in this opening day clash.

Dara Costelloe to score first @ 11/2

The first day of the season is all about renewed hope and we often attach that hope to our club’s debutants. The sheer will we have to see these men become heroes in our colours fuels the excitement of the opening day festivities.

But rather than going for the obvious, Marvel-adjacent centre forward, I am going to back another new man to get off the mark.

Football is often about narratives. Costelloe scoring against his most recent loan club on his debut for his new one is too good a cinematic tableau to turn down. 

A goalscorer for both the Cobblers and Accrington Stanley last season, the 21-year-old Irishman makes another step-up. I think Costelloe will take it in his stride and am backing the Burnley loanee to strike first.

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