Arsenal v Wigan Match Preview And Betting

Emirates Stadium, Sunday, 11 February 2007, 4pm

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Abou Diaby and Julio Baptista are back in the Arsenal squad, but Alexander Hleb, William Gallas, Freddie Ljungberg and Emmanuel Eboue are still injured.

Philippe Senderos is suspended but Johan Djourou can deputise at centre-back.

Emile Heskey and Leighton Baines are fit and available for Wigan after recovering from calf injuries.

Keeper Chris Kirkland will also play, despite withdrawing from the England squad with a shoulder problem.

Arsenal defend their unbeaten home record against a struggling Wigan side, who ended an eight-match losing League run with victory over Portsmouth last time out. For the Gunners, this is their last League fixture before FA Cup, Champions League and Carling Cup business.

The north Londoners are unbeaten in 2007 in any competition, and are yet to lose after 18 games at the Emirates Stadium. They've scored 20 more Premiership goals than Wigan, and conceded 20 fewer, and are hoping to send the Latics the same way as Blackburn (6-2), Charlton (4-0) and Manchester United (2-1) who all left without a point in the last three League games at Arsenal's new home.

The Gunners are defending a 100% Premiership record against the Latics. They made it three wins out of three with a 0-1 victory at the JJB in December when Emmanuel Adebayor scored the winner, just two minutes from time.

Wigan are yet to prize one Premiership point off any of the top four clubs. Since promotion to the Premiership in 2005, the Latics have played a total of 14 matches against Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool and lost the lot.

Paul Jewell's side have lost twice as many League games as they've won this season (seven won, lost 14), and are averaging a point a game (25 from 25). But their first win in 11 League and Cup games, and first points from 27 available, has seen them build a five point cushion between themselves and the relegation zone, going into this round of fixtures.

Athletic were second in the Premiership table when they met the Gunners for the first time in November 2005, and duly saw a six-game winning streak brought to an end. All the goals came in a dramatic first half, when Wigan conceded three goals in a game for the first time in 14 months. Thierry Henry scored twice in the Gunners' 2-3 success.