Middlesbrough v Wigan
Venue: Riverside Date: Saturday, 21 February Kick-off: 1500 GMT
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Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has the chance to field an unchanged side for what would be only the second time this season.
Defender Chris Riggott is available again after recovering from a medial knee ligament injury.
Wigan's Antonio Valencia has not recovered from a hamstring strain.
Winger Daniel de Ridder is also carrying an injury and on-loan Boro striker Mido is ineligible to play against his parent club.
Middlesbrough (from): Jones, Turnbull, McMahon, Hoyte, Huth, Pogatetz, Wheater, Bennett, Riggott, Walker, Digard, O'Neil, Bates, Shawky, Tuncay, Downing, Arca, A Johnson, Alves, Emnes.
Wigan (from): Kirkland, Melchiot, Scharner, Bramble, Figueroa, Cattermole, N'Zogbia, Kapo, De Ridder, Zaki, Kingson, Pollitt, Edman, Brown, Boyce, Rodallega.
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate:
"We have many of our senior players back and we know what we are capable of achieving when we have our experienced players available.
"We played very well at West Ham and we have to build on that performance.
"The three points are very important we are capable of winning them if we play as we know we can."
Wigan manager Steve Bruce:
"If we win we can start looking upwards away from the relegation zone.
"I've got a bad record on Teesside but I'm hoping we can break that trend.
"And if we get three points, with 12 games remaining, then we could even start challenging for a European spot."
Steve Bruce's 50th Premier League game in charge of Wigan is against the most out-of-form side in the highest division, Middlesbrough.
Gareth Southgate's Teessiders are on the longest winless sequence of this Premier League season of 13 matches, and have slumped from eighth in mid November to one off the foot.
If Middlesbrough fail to beat Wigan, they will be on their longest ever winless sequence in the Premier League.
'Boro have won as many home league games this term as Wigan have registered on their travels (three), although the Latics have not won nor scored in their three away games in 2009.
Both these clubs have been at their most prolific in the last 10 minutes of Premier League games. Middlesbrough have scored six of 18; Wigan six of 26.
Each of the last four meetings between Wigan and Middlesbrough have been settled by 1-0 scorelines; Middlesbrough have won three, Wigan one.
Distance between the clubs: 127 miles (204 kilometres)
MIDDLESBROUGH
19th 22 points
Highest realistically achievable after Saturday's matches: 17th
Lowest could mathematically fall: 20th
1. Not won in four in all competitions since knocking Wolves out of the FA Cup on 24 January. Indeed both of their wins in the last 16 outings have been in FA Cup ties - the other was home to non-league Barrow in the third round.
2. Drawn five and lost eight of 13 Premier League matches since defeating Aston Villa 1-2 at Villa Park on 9 November.
3. Failed to score in seven of the last eight league matches, and netted just one goal in those eight outings; that being Alfonso Alves' effort in the 1-1 draw with Sunderland at the Riverside on 10 January.
4. Not scored in four games, or 405 minutes (six hours 45 minutes) of Premier League football.
5. Four points down on this same stage last season, when 13th in the table. The current total of 22 points after 25 equals their equivalent return in the relegation season of 1996-97.
6. Striving for a first home league win in eight; drawn five and lost two at the Riverside since the 2-0 eclipse of Manchester City on 29 October.
7. Not scored in four top-flight matches against North-West clubs, and not won in six; the home triumph over Manchester City being the most recent.
8. An FA Cup fifth round replay, home to West Ham follows this, next Wednesday.
WIGAN ATHLETIC
7th 34 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 7th
Lowest could fall: 8th
1. Drawn the last three Premier League matches; the last two being goalless, away to Aston Villa and home to Fulham.
2. Never drawn four in a row in the Premier League; last recorded four successive stalemates in league football between 27 September and 11 October 2003 in the Nationwide League Division One (second tier).
3. The 1-0 home victory over Tottenham on 11 January was their most recent win; lost two and drawn three of the five subsequent league games.
4. Failed to score in the last two Premier League matches, and in four of five; Mido's 83rd penalty in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool at the JJB on 28 January was their only goal.
5. Their last goal from open play was Maynor Figueroa's 90th minute winner against Spurs on 11 January.
6. Completed 12 matches since conceding more than a single goal in a Premier League game; the 2-2 draw away to Newcastle on 15 November being the most recent.
7. 11 points up on this same stage last season, when 15th in the table.
8. Scored 26 league goals this season; 13 at home and 13 away, and conceding 13 on their league travels.
9. Lost just once to a club currently in the bottom-half (v Middlesbrough).
10. Looking for successive wins against North-East clubs, after ending a five-match winless run in such games, with a 2-1 home success over Newcastle on Boxing Day last year. Only picked up two points out of 21 from trips to the region, since beating Sunderland 0-1 at the Stadium of Light on 11 March 2006.
MIDDLESBROUGH
Stewart DOWNING is the only remaining player to have started every one of Middlesbrough's Premier League matches this season.
If selected:-
Josh WALKER will be playing on his 20th birthday.
If on the field from the outset:-
DOWNING will be making his 200th club career start (Middlesbrough and Sunderland).
Julio ARCA will be making his 50th Premier League start for the Teessiders.
Marlon KING is on loan from Wigan and therefore ineligible for this match.
WIGAN ATHLETIC
Maynor FIGUEROA is the only remaining player to have started every one of Wigan's Premier League matches this season.
Amr ZAKI is the club's top Premier League scorer with 10 goals, but he has not hit the back of the net from open play for four months, since his brace against Liverpool on 1 October.
If selected:-
Antoine SIBIERSKI will be making his 50th career Premier League appearance (Manchester City, Newcastle and Wigan).
Lee CATTERMOLE will be facing a former club. The 20 year old midfielder began his professional career with Middlesbrough, making 91 appearances (69 in the league) and scoring four goals (three league) before joining Wigan in a £3.5 transfer in July last year.
MIDO is on loan from Middlesbrough and therefore ineligible for this match.
Victory will give Middlesbrough a first ever league double over Wigan.
Wigan have recorded three different results from their Premier League visits to the Riverside; they won the first 2-3, drew the second 1-1, and lost last season 1-0.
Home and away
League (inc PL): Middlesbrough 4 wins, Wigan 2, Draws 3
Prem: Middlesbrough 3 wins, Wigan 2, Draws 2
at Middlesbrough only
League (inc PL): Middlesbrough 1 win, Wigan 1, Draws 2
Prem: Middlesbrough 1 win, Wigan 1, Draws 1
Middlesbrough 1-0 Wigan Athletic
29 January 2008 - Ref: Rob Styles
Middlesbrough scorer: Aliadiere 19
Wigan Athletic 0-1 Middlesbrough
4 October 2008 - Ref: Martin Atkinson
Middlesbrough scorer: Aliadiere 89
