Wigan Athletic: How they rated v Blackburn Rovers

Paul Kendrick runs the rule over the Wigan Athletic side that battered Blackburn 3-1 on Wednesday night and delivers his report card...
James VaughanJames Vaughan
James Vaughan

Wigan Athletic (4-2-3-1)

Christian Walton: 6 - Once again very little to do thanks to the efforts in front of him, only beaten late on by a freak own goal to ruin his clean sheet.

Reece James: 7 - Collectors’ item in that, for once, he wasn’t the stand-out candidate for man of the match, despite doing nothing wrong.

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Cedric Kipre: 7 - Coming into his own at centre-back and didn’t give the Rovers strikers an inch on the few chances they threatened.

Dan Burn: 6 - Still not quite the Dan Burn of previous seasons, summed up by his bizarre own goal in the closing stages, but plenty of credit in the bank.

Kal Naismith: 8 - Second impressive display on the bounce in the unfamiliar role of left-back, quality delivery from crosses all night.

Sam Morsy: 7 - Looks a different player with Lee Evans back alongside him, and won the physical battle in the engine room against Bradley Dack and Co.

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Lee Evans: 7 - Recalled at the expense of Darron Gibson and will be hard to leave out on this evidence, supported the attack and protected the defence well.

Nathan Byrne: 6 - Reinvented himself as a right-winger this term and linked up well with Reece James down the right.

Nick Powell: 5 - A somewhat surprise inclusion after damaging a hamstring last weekend, and lasted only 20 minutes before it flared up again.

Gary Roberts: 9 - Like a fine wine, gets better with age, set Latics off to an important win with a fine goal and ran his blood to water throughout.

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James Vaughan: 9 - Set the tone right from the off when he clattered Jack Rodwell and fully deserved his goal for a tireless shift of lone frontrunning.

Subs used

Josh Windass (for Powell, 22): 9 - Any disappointment at being left out of the starting XI channelled into positive energy in a superb display.

Callum Connolly (for Roberts, 79): 6 - Shored up the midfield for the last 10.

Callum McManaman (for Vaughan 79): 7 - In the right place at the right time to score his first Latics goal in four years to seal the points.

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Subs not used: Jamie Jones, Darron Gibson, Will Grigg, Joe Garner.

Blackburn: Raya; Nyambe, Rodwell, Mulgrew, Bell; Evans, Smallwood, Reed, Dack; Armstrong, Graham.

Subs: Leutwiler, Williams (for Graham 46), Rothwell, Brereton (for Smallwood, 62), Downing, Conway (for Nyambe, 79), Palmer.

Shots on target: 9-2

Shots off target: 5-3

Corners: 5-4

Possession (%): 43-57

Fouls conceded: 10-15

Yellow cards: 3-1

Red cards: 0-0

Referee: Keith Stroud

Attendance: 10,777

Star Man: James Vaughan