Rodallega on the bench in relegation six-pointer

Striker Hugo Rodallega has been named among the Wigan substitutes for the crunch match against fellow Premier League strugglers Birmingham.

Rodallega suffered a knock against Manchester City two weeks ago, with Franco Di Santo chosen ahead of Conor Sammon to replace him in the lone striker’s role.

Birmingham restored Roger Johnson, Craig Gardner and Stephen Carr to the starting XI after they missed the FA Cup defeat to Bolton, but on-loan striker Obafemi Martins was only fit enough for the bench and Nikola Zigic failed to make the matchday squad.

Wigan: Al Habsi, Boyce, Gary Caldwell, Alcaraz, Figueroa, Watson, McCarthy, N’Zogbia, Cleverley, Moses, Di Santo.

Subs: Pollitt, Gohouri, Gomez, Sammon, Rodallega, Diame, Stam.

Birmingham: Foster, Carr, Johnson, Jiranek, Ridgewell, Larsson, Gardner, Ferguson, Mutch, Beausejour, Jerome.

Subs: Doyle, Murphy, Phillips, Bentley, Martins, Parnaby, Davies.

Referee: Lee Probert.