Arsenal host Wigan at the Emirates Stadium in a late kick-off on Tuesday in what is touted to be the most important game in the season for either club. This is a must win game for both teams due to different reasons and anything less than three points can be fatal for their ambitions next season.

A win for Arsenal will keep them in the running for a place in the Champions League while the same for Wigan will boost their chances of staying up in the Premier League next season. The reverse fixture between the two sides ended in December ended in a 1-0 win for Arsenal at the DW Stadium.

Arsenal
Arsenal Reuters

Where to Watch Live

Kick-Off is set for 7:45pm BST. Live coverage will be available on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1 HD.

Overview

Arsenal are currently fifth in the League table and have to win their remaining two games if they have to keep their hopes alive of qualifying for the Champions League for the 17<sup>th time in succession under Arsene Wenger. Tottenham are currently fourth with 69, leadby Chelsea who are on 72, with both teams having played a game more. It will be a difficult game for the Gunners, who have had to grind out results in their last four games, scoring only three goals, of which they won two and drew two.

Their last game in the Premier League ended in a 1-0 win over QPR, where the Gunners crawled over the finishing line having taken the lead in the first 20 seconds of the game through Theo Walcott. The Englishman's finishing has improved by leaps and bounds this season, scoring his second goal in consecutive games. Arsenal are poised for a major spending spree in the summer but much will depend on their quality to finish in the top four this season. However, the Gunners will have only themselves to blame if they fail to qualify for Europe's grandest stage for having left the task too late, instead of securing themselves in the early part of the season.

The FA Cup winners haven't had time to enjoy their greatest achievement in recent times and are faced with yet another knockout fixture in three days of each other. Wigan showed enormous determination to win the FA Cup against Manchester City on Saturday and have to concentrate yet again, in a match where a loss will see them being relegated from the Premier League without further ado. A injury time header from substitute Ben Watson sealed a 1-0 win for Wigan but the Latics need to put in the same amount of effort against the Gunners if they have to keep their hopes alive of pulling off a shock win at the Emirates.

Manager Roberto Martinez will be buoyed by their performance in the same fixture last year where they defeated the Gunners 2-1 and will be confident of pulling off a similar coup this time around with his team currently brimming with confidence. A win here won't guarantee them qualification, with their hopes set to hinge on their game against Aston Villa next weekend. Wigan are currently on 35 points, four point adrift of Sunderland who are 17<sup>th.

Team Guide

Arsenal

  • Last Five(all competitions, most recent first): W D W D W
  • Last Result: QPR 0 - 1 Arsenal

Wigan Athletic

  • Last Five(all competitions, most recent first):W L W D L
  • Last Result: Manchester City 0 - 1 Wigan Athletic

Team News

Arsene Wenger has a full squad at his disposal with the return of Lukas Fabianski and Kieran Gibbs back into full fitness. Abou Diaby is out for the year with a anterior cruciate ligament injury. Jack Wilshere has been confirmed to be undergoing an ankle surgery after the end of the season but is expected to be on the bench against Wigan.

Probable Line-Up: Szczęsny; Sagna, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Gibbs; Arteta, Rosicky, Ramsey; Walcott, Podolski, Cazorla

Wigan are expected to field the same squad that beat Manchester City at Wembley with the exception of Ben Watson who may get a starting berth after his goal won them the FA Cup. However, Ronnie Stam (ankle), Jean Beausejour (hamstring) and Maynor Figueroa (groin) are all out for the season due to injuries.

Probable Line-Up: Joel; Boyce, Alcaraz, Scharner; McArthur, McCarthy, Watson, Espinoza; McManaman, Maloney; Kone