It's catch-up time as Stamford Bridge brings to an end the weekend's league fixtures. Needless to say, only three points will do for the Blues against bottom six Wigan. Chelsea club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton set the scene.

Whatever the discomforts caused by last minute fixture rescheduling solely for the convenience of an armchair audience, we now know what two wins in quick succession will bring: level points with Manchester United two days before their visit to neighbours Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

United's defeat of Arsenal makes lifting the Barclays Premier League trophy an even tougher task than before, and once Chelsea have played Wigan both the top two will have just four games remaining.

Intriguingly, the Reds now have only one home match left, with three away. Chelsea will have an equal two at fortress Stamford Bridge and on our travels. (See 'The race for the Premier League title' below for all the remaining fixtures.)

The televised matches at home to Wigan Athletic and away to Everton come within 72 hours of each other and the personnel chosen to play the games could also have a big impact on the Champions League games that are only just around the corner too.

Everton's draw at the weekend means Chelsea have qualified for the Champions League next season. Six points from the next two games would also place the Blues firmly in a slot reserved for group stage entrants, nine points clear of Arsenal - a daunting gap for a demoralised side.

So with Chelsea still having eyes on two prizes it is about finding the balance between reality and ambition, and choosing each XI accordingly. As a player, Wigan Athletic's manager Steve Bruce knew all about the stresses and strains at the close of a campaign.

He won the title three times with Manchester United as a centre back and was always among their top scorers with his penalties and set-piece finishes.

He will be well aware that there are a few scraps to be picked up this time of year if you catch a top side with its mind elsewhere. Part of his preparation will have been to note that Chelsea have conceded nearly half our 23 goals from corners, free kicks and spot-kicks, and that this match may come too soon for Petr Cech (lip) and Carlo Cudicini (hamstring) to overcome their latest misfortunes.

But in Henrique Hilário, who made at least two decisive saves in the Champions League in midweek, Chelsea have a third-choice keeper whose record this season reads: played 6, won 6.

And since early February, when they saw off West Ham, the only teams Wigan have beaten are those in the mire: Derby, Bolton and Birmingham. They have, however, managed two recent and creditable draws against higher-flyers: Manchester City at Eastlands and Arsenal at home.

Wigan are not exactly hovering over the relegation trapdoor but can hear it creaking. The likelihood is that Bruce will feel he can pick up the required points from the next three games they have to play, the fourth and final one being Man United at home.

Whatever the outlook the manager likes to play a 4-4-2 formation with Michael Brown the combative holding midfielder. Quite how the one-man war-zone Brown avoided a red card in our league game at the JJB back in November is known only to the referee that day, Steve Bennett. The central midfielder has committed a massive 74 fouls this season, 33 more than Chelsea's worst offender, John Mikel Obi.

The two forwards are likely to be strong, tricky Marlon King and Emile Heskey. If the aim is to batter the Blues defence rather than beat it with pace and tricks, then Marcus Bent will be Heskey's partner. Bent, though, hasn't scored this year, Heskey once since August. King has managed one goal since his arrival from Watford in January.

Another for whom goals have dried up is left midfielder Jason Koumas, the former West Brom hero, who has bought his one league goal at the price of 45 unsuccessful shots. Ryan Taylor, the left winger who surely increased his chances with the manager by scoring twice against Bruce's former club Birmingham City last week, may retain his place.

The success stories of Bruce's time at the JJB are on the right wing, in skilful, elusive winger Antonio Valencia, and in central midfield where playmaker Wilson Palacios continues to impress with his vision and passing. Both add flair but in a workmanlike fashion.

He also has two full-backs always keen to support the attack in former Spur Erik Edman and Mario Melchiot. At Chelsea, Melchiot was one of the two Marios the crowd liked to croon about (the other being midfielder Stanic). This season, the huge travelling Chelsea support broke into a chant of 'We've got no Marios!' in honour of the excellent former Blue.

Central defence was more of a problem until Paul Scharner was moved back from midfield. He has not only provided bite and determination in the box, but chipped in with five priceless goals too.

Chelsea, the only Premier League team unbeaten in 2008, have to put the visit to Liverpool, and European revenge, on the back-burner. Another quick start would be handy. Since March the Blues have been impressively quick out of the blocks, netting in the first 13 minutes in six of our last seven games.

The welcome run of two own-goals were the first in our favour this season and two consecutive clean sheets encourages the thought that the team is becoming rock solid again just at the right time.

With the experienced middlemen Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack weighing in against Fenerbahçe midweek, Avram Grant would no doubt like to see his strikers showing decisiveness in front of goal in the crucial run-in, starting tonight.

Salomon Kalou's goal in the valuable win over Manchester City was only his second league strike since his return from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Didier Drogba is in richer vein, with seven in his last ten in the Premier after the vital double against Arsenal last month. Strangely, to date none of those has been scored against a team in the bottom six - where Wigan currently lie.


CHELSEA V WIGAN ATHLETIC - Paul Dutton with the stats as Chelsea look for a special 100.

Top of the Premier League after 34 games
Man Utd 80 pts (+54)
Chelsea [pld 33] 74 pts (+35)
Arsenal 71 pts (+35)
Liverpool 66 pts (+34)
Everton 61 pts (+22)

The race for the Premier League title
Mon Apr 14
Chelsea v Wigan (8pm)
Thurs Apr 17
Everton v Chelsea (8pm)
Sat Apr 19
Arsenal v Reading (12.45pm)
Blackburn v Man Utd (5.15pm)
Sat Apr 26
Chelsea v Man Utd (12.45pm)
Mon Apr 28
Derby v Arsenal (8pm)
Sat May 3
Man Utd v West Ham (12.45pm)
Sun May 4
Arsenal v Everton (1.30pm)
Mon May 5
Newcastle v Chelsea (4pm)
Sun May 11
Chelsea v Bolton (3pm)
Sunderland v Arsenal (3pm)
Wigan v Man Utd (3pm)


Chelsea have a 100 per cent record against Wigan in the Barclays Premier League since their promotion to the top flight for the first time in 2005.

Chelsea and Wigan have only met on four occasions at Stamford Bridge, two in the league and two in the FA Cup
1979/80 FA Cup third round: Wigan won 1-0
1984/85 FA Cup third round: drew 2-2
2005/06 Premier League: Chelsea won 1-0
2006/07 Premier League: Chelsea won 4-0

Wigan's only victory at the Bridge was in our first ever meeting in January 1980 in the FA Cup third round. Wigan who were eighth in Division Four in only their second season as a league club, won with a goal five minutes before half time scored by Tommy Gore. Ian McNeill managed the Latics and became our assistant manager under John Neal in the summer of 1981.

In the reverse fixture to tonight's at the JJB Stadium in November, two goals in the opening 20 minutes by Frank Lampard and Juliano Belletti were enough to see off the home side and secured our seventh consecutive victory in all competitions. We won there again in the FA Cup fourth round in January with goals from Nicolas Anelka (53) and Shaun Wright-Phillips (83). Antoine Sibierski grabbed a late consolation with three minutes to go.

Chelsea are looking to extend our record unbeaten league run at Stamford Bridge to 80 games since our last defeat against Arsenal on February 21st 2004.

If we avoid defeat against Wigan, it will be our 100th consecutive unbeaten domestic match at Stamford Bridge (if penalty shoot-outs are excluded).

We are looking to extend our club unbeaten record at Stamford Bridge in all competitions to 65 games since our last defeat on February 22nd 2006 when Barcelona beat a ten-man Chelsea 2-1 in the Champions League. That has been our only home defeat in the last 123 games since February 2004.

Chelsea are on the longest current unbeaten run in the Premier League of 16 matches since the defeat at the Emirates in December.

It is the fourth occasion Hilário has had to come into the side when both Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini have been injured at the same time. Since joining in the summer of 2006 he has played 24 games, kept 11 clean sheets and only been on the losing side once, at Tottenham last season with a 10-man Chelsea following John Terry's red card. He has won 17 and drawn six of the rest. He has a 100 per cent winning record in this season's six appearances.

Wigan's home record has lifted them clear of the bottom three with four wins and a draw in the last five games but away from the JJB they have only won one point from the last possible 15.

Only Derby have scored less than Wigan's 10 away goals (17 games).

The Latics have the fourth worst away record in the Premier League winning only seven points from 51.

Wigan have lost 15 of 18 matches this season in which the opposition opened the scoring.

Marcus Bent is Wigan's leading scorer in all competitions with seven. Frank Lampard heads Chelsea's scoring chart with 18 and is looking to achieve 20 goals for the third successive season.

We have been beaten five times (Man Utd away, Arsenal away, Tottenham at Wembley, Barnsley away and Fenerbahçe away) in 46 games in all competitions under Avram Grant three of which have come in the last 12.

Chelsea have played 54 games in all competitions winning 35, drawing 13 and losing six. We have scored 94 goals, conceded 37 and have kept 30 clean sheets. We have failed to score on 10 occasions.

The Latics away league record is won one (Derby 1-0), lost 12 (Everton 1-2, Newcastle 0-1, Reading 1-2, Man Utd 0-4, Birmingham 2-3, Tottenham 0-4, Arsenal 0-2, Bolton 1-4, Middlesbrough 0-1, Sunderland 0-2, Blackburn 1-3, Portsmouth 0-2) and drawn four (West Ham 1-1, Fulham 1-1, Liverpool 1-1, Man City 0-0).

Wigan's last six games
Mar 1 Man City (a) D 0-0
Mar 9 Arsenal (h) D 0-0
Mar 16 Bolton (h) W 1-0
Mar 22 Blackburn (a) L 1-3
Mar 29 Portsmouth (a) L 0-2
Apr 5 Birmingham (h) W 2-0

Ryan Taylor scored a goal in each half to hand Wigan a vital win in their bid for survival against 10-man Birmingham last Saturday. Team (4-4-2) Kirkland; Melchiot (c), Boyce, Scharner, Kilbane; Valencia, Palacios, Skoko (Figueroa 90), Taylor (Sibierski 84); Bent, Heskey (King 87).

Wigan stand 15th, five points above the drop zone.

The Latics have played 36 games in all competitions winning 10, losing 19 and drawing 7. They have scored 34 goals, conceded 50, have kept 11 clean sheets and failed to score on 13 occasions.

Premier League scorers:
Chelsea (58): Lampard 10 (3 pens), Drogba 8, J Cole 7, Kalou 7, Ballack 4 (1 pen), Essien 4, Shevchenko 4 (1 pen), Alex 2, Belletti 2, Pizarro 2, Wright-Phillips 2, Anelka 1, Carvalho 1, A Cole 1, Malouda 1, Terry 1, own goal 1 (Dunne, Man City).
Wigan (30): Bent 7, Scharner 4, Sibierski 4 (1 pen), Landzaat 3 (1 pen), Taylor 3, Bramble 2, Heskey 2, Kilbane 1, King 1 (pen), Koumas 1 (pen), Valencia 1, own goal 1 (Jagielka, Everton).

A warm welcome back to the Bridge to Wigan's skipper and Chelsea old boy Mario Melchiot. He played for Chelsea between 1999 and 2004 and played 165 games and scored five goals. He won both the FA Cup and Charity Shield in 2000.

There are no suspensions on either side.

The referee is Andre Marriner. Marriner's last game involving Chelsea was the 2-0 away win at Derby back in November, where he controversially sent off substitute Michael Essien in the last minute for supposedly elbowing an opponent.

It took 46 years and 34 unsuccessful attempts before Wigan were elected to the Football League. Their first League game was in 1978 and they have made incredible progress to reach the top flight for the first time in 2005. They have been Second and Third Division champions as well as winning the Freight Rover Trophy in 1985 and the Auto Windscreens Shield in 1999. Their two previous seasons in the top flight have seen a very respectable 10th in 2005/06 and 17th last season.

Chelsea's overall record against Wigan in all competitions is: played 10, won 7, drawn 1, lost 2.

Head-to-head in the league at Stamford Bridge: played 2, won 2, drawn 0, lost 0.

LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING MATCH
Chelsea 4 Wigan Athletic 0
Premiership, Saturday January 13th 2007, Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea (4-3-3) Hilário; Ferreira (Gérémi 85), Essien, Carvalho, Bridge; Ballack, Makelele, Lampard (c); Kalou (Mikel 81), Drogba, Robben (Sahar 81).
Manager José Mourinho.
Scorers Lampard (12), Robben (62), Kirkland own goal (69), Drogba (90+2).
Booked Drogba
Wigan (4-2-3-1): Kirkland; Boyce, Hall, Unsworth, Baines (c); Kilbane, Skoko; Cotterill (Taylor 65), Haestad (Landzaat 72), McCulloch; Heskey (Johansson 76).
Manager Paul Jewell.
Booked McCulloch, Cotterill, Haestad
Referee Martin Atkinson.
Crowd 40,846