Wigan Athletic: How they rated v Preston North End

Paul Kendrick runs the rule over the Wigan Athletic side that crashed 4-0 at Preston and delivers his report card....which may not make for pleasant reading.
Reece JamesReece James
Reece James

Wigan Athletic (4-2-3-1)

Christian Walton: 5 - Won’t be happy with the opening goal which paved the way for what followed, although not much chance with the other three.

Reece James: 8 - Wigan’s best player by a country mile - both on the day and, arguably, over the whole campaign. England star of the future.

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Chey Dunkley: 4 - Far from his usually cool, calm and collected presence at the back, though has enough credit in the bank after a solid season.

Cedric Kipre: 4 - Perhaps fortunate not to concede a penalty and will have learned more about the Championship than in any other game.

Antonee Robinson: 4 - Another who found it tough going defensively, though tried to get forward and help the attack at every opportunity.

Sam Morsy: 6 - Held his own in the engine room but found himself gradually swimming against the tide with Preston gaining more and more control.

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Darron Gibson: 5 - Perhaps unfortunate to collect a red card but hadn’t stamped much authority on the game up to that point.

Josh Windass: 4 - Struggled to get in the game and display summed up by unnecessary booking for handbags following a foul on Morsy.

Nick Powell: 5 - Singled out for rough stuff right from the off and deserved more protection from the official before his 45th-minute substitution.

Michael Jacobs: 5 - Unable to offer much of a threat to the North End defence before his withdrawal although work-rate never dropped.

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Will Grigg: 6 - Thankless task up top made doubly difficult on a day like this when all went wrong around him, visible frustration led to booking.

Subs used

Dan Burn (for Powell, 45): 4 - Looked, perhaps understandably, well off the pace on his first run-out of the season, conceded a penalty and possibly an own goal.

Joe Garner (for Windass, 69): 6 - Point to prove on his return to Preston and at least put himself about in typical fashion.

Callum McManaman (for Jacobs, 69): 6 - Tried his best to inject spark off the bench, penalty shout ignored by the official.

Subs not used:

Jamie Jones, Nathan Byrne, Lee Evans, Gary Roberts.

Star Man: Reece James

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Preston (4-2-3-1): Maxwell; Fisher, Clarke, Storey, Hughes; Pearson, Johnson; Barkhuizen, Browne, Robinson; Nmecha.

Subs: Rudd, Earl, Davies (for Nmecha, 89), Moult, Gallagher (for Johnson, 75), Barker, Maguire (for Barkhuizen, 75).

Shots on target: 3-3

Shots off target: 7-5

Corners: 6-5

Possession: 47-53

Fouls conceded: 11 -15

Yellow cards: 3-3

Red cards: 0-1

Attendance: 15,280

Referee: Lee Probert