Warrington Wolves vs Wigan Warriors Prediction: Visitors to ease past confidence-hit hosts

Wigan Warriors head to the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Friday night (20:00 BST, Sky Sports Action) for a clash against rivals Warrington Wolves, and these are usually pretty tasty contests.

But the Wolves already look out of the playoff race, having fallen way off the pace, so a big home win is a minimum requirement for Sam Burgess against the champions. Below are my Warrington Wolves vs Wigan Warriors predictions, alongside all the latest team news and match odds.

Team News

Wigan boss Matt Peet could have three key men back for the short trip to Warrington.

Star full-back Jai Field is clear to play after the head knock suffered against Hull FC, while fellow superstar Bevan French and prop Sam Walters are also named in the 21-man squad.

French hasn't played since the end of June, while Walters fractured his fibula in May.

Dropping out for the champions are union convert Christian Wade, youngster Noah Hodkinson and Harvey Makin.

Prop Luke Thompson and winger Abbas Miski are still out.

Warrington make two changes with Zack Gardner and Cai Taylor-Wray coming in to replace Leon Hayes and Connor Wrench.

One report this week claimed Matt Dufty had been stood down by the club for a disciplinary matter, but he is included in the initial squad.

Warrington Wolves vs Wigan Warriors Odds

Warrington are 13/5, or a 27.8% chance, to win, with Wigan at 1/3 and the draw at 18/1

Handicap 3-way: Wigan Warriors -10 @ 1/1

We were agonisingly unfortunate last time out in backing Wigan to beat Catalans from -15.5 with Jake Wardle to score a try. It looked like a shrewd selection as Wardle crashed over in what was a 16-point advantage until a last-minute Catalans try spoiled the fun.

We also had Warrington to lose at Leigh, and the home side mounted a superb fightback to ensure that was the case.

So what happens in this one?

Warrington can be an explosive side with the home crowd behind them, but I just cannot back them in their current form. Something isn't right, and this is now the run-in to the playoffs. And that is the time when a faltering Wigan side will suddenly take the stabilisers off and hit full throttle.

So this, for me, is an away win, and I am looking at Wigan to come through by a couple of scores.

This is the third meeting between the sides this season, and both so far have been on neutral soil. Wigan won by just two points at Magic Weekend in May but enjoyed a thumping win over the Wolves in Las Vegas.

Jake Wardle anytime tryscorer @ 6/4

I'm going to be boring this week and stick with a winning formula just outside of the most obvious selections. Jai Field and Liam Marshall are the most likely Wigan try scorers, but are both odds-on to cross in what I expect to be an away win.

For Warrington, I again look at the Thewlis brothers out wide - both Jake and Josh are actually tempting prices this week at 7/4.

But Wardle was the man last week, and at 6/4 he earns my favouritism again in this one to maintain his good run.

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