Roberto Martinez’s men have left it late in the last two seasons to secure their to- flight survival, but there are real signs that Latics (1/2 to stay up) are making progress under their Spanish boss.

Having turned down the chance to join Aston Villa last summer and having spoken to Liverpool during this close season, Martinez seems to be happy with how things are progressing at the DW Stadium.

A fine end to last season, when they recorded wins over Manchester United and Arsenal, highlighted their improving quality and they eventually finished seven points above the drop zone.

They have lost two key players this summer, Hugo Rodellaga and Mohamed Diame, but they have added quality to their squad and seem to have the knack of finding rough diamonds that they turn into decent Premier League players.

Arsenal midfielder Ryo Miyaichi has joined on loan during the close season, while the impressive Aruna Kone has joined for £2.7million from Levante.

They will face a massive test in the opening game against the Champions League winners (Match Betting – Wigan 11/2, draw 3/1, Chelsea 8/15), who head to the North West following a disappointing showing in the Community Shield.

Chelsea (7/1 to win the title) were very much second best to Manchester City at Villa Park and the absence of the suspended Branislav Ivanovic is a blow to their defensive options.

Although the Blues have paid big money for the likes of Eden Hazard and Oscar, Roberto Di Matteo will be relying heavily on Fernando Torres for goals following the summer exit of talisman Didier Drogba.

One other side issue will see Victor Moses (5/2 to score at anytime) come up against the team that are desperate to sign him before the end of the month.

Martinez says he has no problem selecting the former Crystal Palace man, despite him being the subject of a failed bid from Chelsea earlier this summer. Moses could yet move to Stamford Bridge, but Wigan are standing firm on their valuation.

Last season’s corresponding fixture ended in a 1-1 draw, thanks to a late Wigan equaliser from Jordi Gomes, and a repeat scoreline can be backed at 13/2.

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The home side put in a good showing against Liverpool on Wednesday, but were eventually beaten 2-1 and Gus Poyet, a former Leeds assistant manager, is now looking to avoid three defeats in a week. The Seagulls slipped out of the top two last weekend, with a 1-0 defeat at Leicester – their first league defeat of the season.

Brighton have won two and drawn one of the three Championship games so far in their new stadium, which has already created an intimidating atmosphere. But the test comes now, with expectations rising on the south coast and it looks like goals might be an issue.

Poyet’s side have scored three in their last three league games, with just one coming from a striker – Ashley Barnes’ lone strike at Bristol City. Summer signing Craig Mackail-Smith (5/1 First Goalscorer) is still their main goal threat, but he has got just two league goals to his name and hasn’t scored in the Championship since mid-August.

The home side will miss key man Will Buckley through injury, while the manager will also make a late check on new Spanish capture Vicente after his run-out as a substitute against Liverpool. Defender Marcos Painter is back in contention after suspension, while Will Hoskins is back after a hip problem.

Leeds (8/1 Promotion Betting) appear to have turned the corner after a tricky start to the season, although how they respond to Tuesday’s comfortable defeat to Manchester United remains to be seen.

Simon Grayson’s men are going for a third league win in a row, but their first away from Elland Road.

The Whites’ resurgence looks to have coincided with the return to fitness of Luciano Becchio (15/8 To Score At Anytime), who could form a successful partnership with the in-form Ross McCormack. The loan capture of Danny Pugh from Stoke could also have a big impact in the middle of the park.

Leeds’ major problem, however, has come at the back, with Grayson’s side already conceding 12 goals in seven games. The return from suspension of Patrick Kisnorbo will strengthen the manager’s options, as the Yorkshire outfit look to extend a six-game unbeaten run against the Seagulls – which includes wins in their last three trips to Brighton.

The extra day of rest may yet prove crucial, with Leeds certainly capable of taking at least a point from the AMEX – if they can stop the threat of Mackail-Smith.

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Arsenal v Barcelona

The Gunners are considered by many to be the best footballing side in England but unfortunately for them, they face the best footballing side in the world on Wednesday and it is not hard to see why the Catalan giants are the 5/6 favourites in the match betting.

Anyone who has seen Barca play over the course of the season is sure to have been impressed and they have forged a five-point lead at the top of La Liga, despite the vast amounts of money spent at arch-rivals Real Madrid and the summer signing of Jose Mourinho as manager.

At times, Barca have not quite lived up to their billing but are more than capable of playing when the pressure is one, demonstrated by the 5-0 hammering of Real in El Clasico.

The 2009 champions come into this match on the back of a surprise 1-1 draw at Sporting Gijon on Saturday, which ended a 16-match winning streak in Spain.

However, excuses can be made for the result ahead of a big Champions League match and with Lionel Messi (7/2 to score the first goal) in red-hot form for the Blaugrana – has scored 24 goals in 23 league games and another six in the Champions League – it looks a case of whether Arsenal can keep pace.

Arsenal, who have top scorer Samir Nasri available after a hamstring injury, are certainly capable of scoring against anyone so goals look a certainty with Both Teams To Score and Over 2.5 Goals priced at 4/7.

The Gunners defence though is not the strongest – recently surrendering a 4-0 lead against Newcastle – particularly with Thomas Vermaelen out, and it may be a case that they need to outscore a side that not includes the World Player of the Year, but David Villa, Andres Iniesta and rising star Pedro.

The Catalans have never lost to Arsenal as well drawing 2-2 at the Emirates last season before destroying Arsene Wenger’s men 4-1 at the Nou Camp, while they also came from behind to win 2-1 in the 2006 Champions League final.

The clubs also met in the group stages in 1999/2000 which saw a 1-1 draw played out in Spain before Barcelona won 4-2 in the reverse fixture – at Wembley.

Arsenal also contrived to finish second in their group, despite winning their first three games with an aggregate 14-2 – and, despite winning four of the last five domestically, they haven’t played any side of the quality of Barcelona.

Roma v Shakhtar Donetsk

Roma’s campaign started slowly as they suffered defeats to Bayern and Basle (at home) but won two and drew one of their last three games to make it through to the last-16, despite finishing with a negative goal difference.

They are 20/21 favourites to make home advantage count on Wednesday and although they won 4-0 the last time they played the Ukrainians at home in 2006/07, recent domestic form does not make pretty reading and a Shakhtar surprise looks good value at 3/1.

Much may depend on their sharpness having not played since December 28 because of the winter break in Ukraine but they have won 25 of 28 matches played this season, and won two out of their three away games in the group stages.

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Juventus v Inter Milan

Inter Milan seek a fourth successive Serie A win when they travel to a Juventus side still harbouring ambitions of winning the Scudetto (Inter 8/5 to beat Juve).

The defending champions are five points adrift of Milan and just two points behind second-placed Napoli with a game in hand.

Juventus, despite trailing the leaders by 11 points and sitting in eighth place, will be relishing the fixture.

“Inter versus Juve or Juve versus Inter have always been important games, always charged with tension,” said Inter president Massimo Moratti.

“The important thing is that everything goes smoothly. We know it’s an important game for us and for them.

“It’s always been the derby d’Italia and, regardless of the teams’ positions in the standings, it remains like that.”

It’s a game that is crucial to Inter’s Scudetto chances, feels their midfielder Wesley Sneijder. The Nerazzurri have two massive games on the horizon, as they go to Fiorentina on Wednesday.

“We are closing the gap with Milan,” said Sneijder. “If we win against Juventus and Fiorentina then I really think we can win the Scudetto.

“The game at Juve is crucial for us while we also cannot miss the opportunity to gain ground when we face Fiorentina.”

Juve halted a run of three games without a win by beating Cagliari 3-1 in Sardinia in the last round (Juventus 7/4 to beat Inter), but have won just one of their last three games at Turin’s Stadio Olimpico.

“We saw the real Juve against Cagliari,” said Juve defender Andrea Barzagli. “Now we are looking to find continuity in results. I expect an open game, with this game crucial for both sides.”

Inter will be without Argentina striker Diego Milito, who is sidelined for a month with a thigh injury, as well as suspended defender Cristian Chivu.

Juve have recovered midfielder Claudio Marchisio, who sustained a muscular injury against Cagliari.

Deportivo La Coruna v Villareal

Villarreal, third placed going into Sunday’s away trip, bid to bounce back from a 1-0 defeat to Levante last time out (Villareal 21/20 to beat Deportivo).

Juan Carlos Garrido’s men had looked unstoppable on their own patch prior to that defeat, and with Valencia breathing down their necks in the race for third spot, they can ill afford further slip-ups.

Giuseppe Rossi, however, is enjoying the best form of his career, topped off with an international goal for Italy in the week.

Deportivo are struggling, and Miguel Angel Lotina has been under further pressure this week after last weekend’s hammering at Getafe (Deportivo 12/5 to beat Villareal).

This game arrives a week too soon for Deportivo winger Andres Guardado, who is due back in training within the next seven days.

Villareal striker Marco Ruben is doubtful, while defender Angel is out for the entire campaign, but Nilmar returned to action last week and is likely to start.

The home team have been largely disappointing and are currently sitting in 17^th, with only a point separating them from the bottom three.

However, the Yellow Submarines’ last two visits to the Riazor ended in losses for them and of their 12 visits they have won three and drawn two – the last victory coming on the final day of the season in May 2008.

Roda JC v Ajax

Ajax coach Frank de Boer has left his side in no doubt about his feelings following last weekend’s 2-0 win against De Graafschap (Ajax 17/10 to beat Roda).

Ajax picked up the points, but de Boer was far from satisfied and wants an improvement against Roda.

“I think this match may determine our course for the remainder of this season”, de Boer said. “The away game at Roda is a traditional tough one, but I feel like we are ready. We’ll have to do better than last week against De Graafschap, because if we don’t, we’ll lose for sure.”

This fixture is statistically likely to end in a draw – the teams have finished all-square in 15 of the 37 meetings, including last season?s 2-2 draw.

Mounir El Hamdaoui scored twice when Ajax beat Roda at home earlier in the season, and is set to feature again, though de Boer is not saying whether he will use him up front or as a left winger.

Gregory van der Wiel, who played in the 3-1 win of the Netherlands against Austria on Wednesday, is suspended.

Roda JC will miss Laurent Delorge, who is still out with a back injury. The midfielder who played four Eredivisie matches for Ajax in the 2007/2008 season, has been a key figure for Roda this season (Roda 16/5 to beat Ajax).

Lille v Toulouse

Lille will still be on top of the table when they tackle Toulouse on Sunday, but could have had their advantage cut to two points if PSG win on Saturday (Lille 4/9 to beat Toulouse).

Lille have only lost twice this season, and are five points ahead of PSG with a goal difference that is eight better. Toulouse are seventh in the table but on a reasonable run, having won four of their last eight games.

Goalkeeper Mickael Landreau, who signed a contract extension this week to keep him with the club until summer 2014, will make his 500th Ligue 1 appearance.

However, rather than focusing on his own achievement, Landreau, who signed from Paris St Germain in summer 2009, is concentrating on helping Lille to victory as they look to maintain a healthy lead.

Landreau said: “The most important thing is to get the win. To be on top of the table, after all these years, is something fantastic.

“My approach remains the same: I’ve always been meticulous in my preparation. I must say that, for my 500th, I’m very happy to play it at home rather than on the road.

“I’ve always had a good relationship with the LOSC fans and it has been at this club that I’ve found everything I was looking for: ambition, serenity and enjoyment.”

Toulouse manager Alain Casanova believes Lille have all the necessary qualities to become champions (Toulouse 11/2 to beat Lille).

He told www.tfc.info: “They produce a quality game and have great spirit, especially attacking-wise. They have principles that have been the same for quite some time.

“This is a team capable of being very aggressive and very reactive as soon as they have lost the ball.

“This team has everything to challenge for the title and advance with it today.”

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