Wigan Athletic vs Charlton Athletic preview - Herd blow for Wigan

Chris Herd will be missing for Wigan when they take on fellow Sky Bet Championship strugglers Charlton at the DW Stadium.

Aston Villa loanee Herd is returning to the midlands for surgery on a season-ending knee ligament injury he picked up in the midweek win over Reading.

Latics, who are aiming for their first home win since August, can welcome Don Cowie back but Leon Barnett (knock), Chris McCann (hamstring), Emyr Huws (ankle) and Grant Holt (knee) all remain absent.

This fixture has been moved forward one day because the town's rugby league side, Wigan Warriors, play in the World Club Series against the Brisbane Broncos at the same venue on Saturday evening.

Charlton could add Chris Eagles to their squad after signing the former Burnley winger on a free transfer.

But skipper Johnnie Jackson and left-back Rhoys Wiggins will miss the trip after limping out of last Saturday's 3-0 win over Brentford.

Defender Roger Johnson suffered a cracked rib during that match but managed to complete the full 90 minutes with the aid of painkilling injections and he will be assessed.

Winger Franck Moussa is set to miss out again with a knee injury.