Barclays Premier League preview: Newcastle v Wigan

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Newcastle team news
Newcastle defender Steven Taylor is out of tomorrow's Barclays Premier League clash with Wigan.

The England Under-21s skipper missed Sunday's 2-1 defeat at Fulham with a groin problem and is not yet ready to return, so Claudio Cacapa, who deputised at Craven Cottage, and Sebastien Bassong are standing by.

Michael Owen is again likely to start on the bench, but although Mark Viduka (Achilles) has returned to training, the game will come too soon for him.

Xisco (hamstring) and Igancio Gonzalez (Achilles) are both on the casualty list, as is Alan Smith (stress fracture of the foot).

Squad: Given, Harper, Beye, Enrique, Bassong, Coloccini, Cacapa, Edgar, Butt, Barton, Guthrie, Duff, Gutierrez, Geremi, Ameobi, Owen, Martins, Carroll.

Wigan team news
Wigan boss Steve Bruce is sweating on the fitness of Emile Heskey ahead of tomorrow's trip to Newcastle.

The England striker, who aggravated a long-standing hamstring problem against Stoke last weekend and missed the midweek Carling Cup defeat at Arsenal, is rated 50-50 to return.

Daniel de Ridder deputised at the Emirates and is standing by to again feature in a five-man midfield, although Bruce could elect for a more attacking line-up and pair Henri Camara up front with top scorer Amr Zaki.

Goalkeeper Chris Kirkland strained his back at Arsenal but is expected to keep his place at St James' Park, while skipper Mario Melchiot will also feature despite picking up a knock in the week.

Squad: Kirkland, Kingson, Pollitt, Melchiot, Boyce, Bramble, Scharner, Figueroa, Taylor, Kilbane, De Ridder, Valencia, Palacios, Brown, Cattermole, Koumas, Kapo, Heskey, Zaki, Camara.

The New Football Pools pundits' predictions
John Barnes: Home win
Tony Cascarino: Away win
Graham Poll: Home win

Opta match facts
This fixture in the Premier League has always been won by the home side - three times each.

Wigan have scored exactly one goal in five of their six Premier League games against Newcastle.

Newcastle have scored in 11 of their 12 league games this season but have not managed more than two goals in any of them.

Wigan's only two clean sheets since August have also seen the Latics fail to score.

Newcastle have conceded a league-high six penalties this season. In 2000-01 the Magpies conceded the most penalties of the campaign, seven in 38 games.

Shola Ameobi has scored with all three of his shots on target this season.

Nicky Butt has had eight shots this season but none of them have hit the target - more than any other player in the Premier League.

Amr Zaki has scored 62% of Wigan's goals this season, a higher proportion than any other player in the league.

Jason Koumas is the most creative player in the Premier League this season, creating a goalscoring chance every 17 minutes on average.

The Magpies have scored an average of 1.13 goals per game with Michael Owen in the team (eight games) this season but 1.50 per game when he has been missing.

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