Wigan Athletic striker Scott Hogan suffered an ankle injury in the midweek draw with Mansfield Town, leaving the club in an anxious wait for a diagnosis. The 31-year-old was forced off in the 38th minute of the 0-0 stalemate at the Brick Community Stadium, compounding a significant injury crisis for the struggling Latics, who are 21st in League One with just 11 points from 14 games, having recorded three wins and two draws.
Manager Gary Caldwell confirmed the concern after the match. "It's an ankle injury, and we'll find out towards the end of the week how bad it is," Caldwell said.
Hogan was hurt just after the half-hour mark following a challenge inside Wigan's own half. He had been promoted to the starting lineup after several strong performances as a substitute, including in last Saturday's 3-2 win over Bromley where Christian Saydee and K'Marni Miller were among the scorers. Christian Saydee replaced him immediately, with K'Marni Miller and Max Power also making way later in a game that saw Joe Whitworth make a key save from George Maris to preserve the point.
The setback comes with Wigan's attacking resources already severely depleted. Forwards Sonny Perkins and Dara Costelloe are sidelined for several weeks, with Costelloe managing a recurring groin problem. Archie Harris and Luke Harris are also currently unavailable, leaving Caldwell with few experienced options to call upon.
The timing is far from ideal for a side whose recent form of one win, one draw, and three losses in their last five games has left them 18 points behind the league leaders. Their next fixture is a critical six-pointer at home against 23rd-placed Barnsley on Saturday 14 November. A victory could provide vital breathing room in a tight bottom half of the table, where Wigan's record of 11 goals scored and 22 conceded for a -11 goal difference remains a concern.
The club will hope for positive news on Hogan by Friday, but must prepare for the Barnsley clash with the players currently fit and available. This injury blow follows a difficult run of results including a 3-0 loss to Leicester on Tuesday 27 October and a 2-1 defeat to Huddersfield on Saturday 24 October.
Read the full report at Wigan Today
