Barclays Premier League

FULHAM AND WIGAN SHARE SPOILS

Moments of brilliance from Giorgos Karagounis and Franco Di Santo meant Fulham and Wigan left Craven Cottage with a point apiece this afternoon. In a game of many chances, but few clearcut, both players netted spectacularly either side of half time to ensure it finished 1-1. The draw means Wigan have now failed to beat Fulham in 13 attempts in the Premier League. Karagounis scored his first goal in a Fulham shirt in the FA Cup tie with Blackpool last weekend and made it two in two on 22 minutes when he drove in from long range past a stranded Ali Al Habsi, as the Cottagers went into the break firmly in the driving seat. The second half was a different story, though, with Wigan looking the more likely to get the next goal. As luck would have it, Franco Di Santo, who up until this point had endured somewhat of a torrid afternoon, created a magical finish with just under 20 minutes left on the clock - cutting in from the left flank to spank the ball home with the outside of his right foot. Mark Schwarzer was certainly the busier of the two goalkeepers, pulling off a spectacular save from Shaun Maloney in the second half to keep the score at 1-0. Fulham pressed for an equaliser towards the end, and just after Wigan's Ivan Ramis had been stretchered off with a nasty-looking knee injury, saw Bryan Ruiz's late effort cleared spectacularly off the line by Maynor Figueroa. The point sees Wigan move out of the drop zone, while Fulham remain in 13th.

FULL TIME

Mark Clattenburg brings an end to the game, with Fulham and Wigan sharing the spoils this afternoon - probably a fair outcome to an overall even game.

OFF THE LINE!

Into the sixth minute of injury time, and Fulham are inches away from going 2-1 in front. Bryan Ruiz easily beats Ronnie Stam on the left flank and shoots at goal, only for a brilliant block on the line by Maynor Figueroa to keep things on level terms.

WIGAN SUB

Ronnie Stam comes on in injury time to replace the injured Ramis, who has to be stretched off down the tunnel. Doesn't look good for the Spaniard.

NASTY-LOOKING INJURY

Four minutes of added time signalled, but it might be even longer than that with play currently stopped as physios attend to Ivan Ramis. Ramis looked in significant pain after a tackle with Dimitar Berbatov. Seems to have injured his knee.

DRAGGED WIDE

Substitute Ashkan Dejagah cuts inside from the left and gets a right-footed shot away, but sees his effort bobble harmlessly wide of Ali Al Habsi's goal.

FULHAM SUB

Third and final change for the Cottagers, as Alex Kacaniklic is replaced by Ashkan Dejagah.

TIPPED WIDE

Franco Di Santo robs Aaron Hughes in the final third, finding himself with just Brede Hangeland to beat. He runs at the Fulham skipper, cuts onto his left foot and pokes goalwards, only to be denied by a low save from Schwarzer.

FULHAM SUB

Not a like-for-like change, but Chris Baird comes on for Damien Duff for the home side.

NO REACTION

Sascha Riether pumps in a delicious cross from the right touchline; it evades Ali Al Habsi at the near post but no Fulham players are there to get something on the ball. Rodallega and Berbatov were in the box, but remained static as Riether's cross came in. A great chance squandered.

MORE PRESSURE

Wigan are looking really threatening at the moment. They're flooding forward in numbers and Fulham look unable to get enough players back to deal with it. Thankfully for the home side, Wigan are yet to carve an opening good enough to put their noses in front.

INCHES TOO HIGH

Alex Kacaniklic sets Kieran Richardson free down the left flank, but aiming at Hugo Rodallega, Richardson's cross is just too high for his team-mate.

DESERVED WIGAN GOAL

If the first half was Fulham's, the second has almost certainly been Wigan's. Their equaliser is therefore very much deserved. The question is; can they go on to snatch victory?

MORE ON THAT GOAL!

He's been poor for the majority of this match, but a moment of brilliance has turned Franco Di Santo's - and Wigan's - game on its head. Picking up the ball on the left flank, he cuts inside past a couple of defenders, before powering the ball with the outside of his right foot past an outstretched Mark Schwarzer.

GOAL!

Franco Di Santo scores a marvellous individual goal to level things up at Craven Cottage!

LIVELY INTRODUCTION

Hugo Rodallega's looked lively since coming on. He almost gets on the end of a dinked Dimitar Berbatov cross and then a couple of minutes later, nearly finds himself one-on-one after robbing a Wigan defender in the final third, only to be forced to go backwards.

SUBS FOR BOTH SIDES

Martin Jol and Roberto Martinez make their first changes simultaneously, as Wigan old boy Hugo Rodallega replaces Mladen Petric for the home side, and Jordi Gomez comes on for David Jones for the visitors.

BETTER FROM DI SANTO

Much better from Franco Di Santo, who with his back to goal, spins and shoots narrowly wide of Mark Schwarzer's post.

ANOTHER WASTED SET PIECE

Mladen Petric resumes free kick duty after Ivan Ramis unceremoniously takes out Bryan Ruiz on the edge of the box. The Croatian's effort, like his last one, flies over the bar, though.

NOT HAPPENING FOR DI SANTO

Franco Di Santo is having a torrid time out there for Wigan, squandering possession left, right and centre. With Angelo Henriquez on the bench, the Argentinean's afternoon might not last much longer.

WHAT A SAVE!

Superb stop by Mark Schwarzer, whose 40-year-old body flies right across his goal to tip Shaun Maloney's left-footed effort onto the post and behind for a corner. Maloney showed good skill to work an opening, but Schwarzer did brilliantly to keep it at 1-0.

CALDWELL GIVEN WARNING

Wigan skipper Gary Caldwell goes right through the back of Dimitar Berbatov as the Bulgarian tried to turn with the ball. No booking for Caldwell, though he does receive a stern telling off from Mark Clattenburg.

FREE KICK CLEARED

Wigan are awarded a free kick in the left-hand corner. Jean Beausejour floats it in and despite the visitors' best efforts, Fulham are allowed to eventually clear.

BACK UNDERWAY

Wigan restart things for the second period. No changes for either side at the break.

HALF TIME

Fulham go into the break 1-0 ahead, thanks to Giorgos Karagounis' goal on 22 minutes. A very watchable game so far.

AWFUL CORNER

Wigan get some momentum in attack and are awarded a corner on the right. David Jones goes to take it but his cross really is awful, flying straight into the side netting. If there was a Rubbish Corner of the Year award, it would certainly be in with a decent shout.

SHOULD BE LEVEL

Put simply, Wigan should be on level terms. Great cross from the right by Emmerson Boyce, and from just outside the six-yard box, Franco Di Santo manages to scoop the ball over the bar. Really should have done better.

HOISTED OVER

Mladen Petric's earlier disappointing free kick sees set piece duty handed over to Kieran Richardson. But Richardson mirrors his team-mates left-footed effort by lofting his attempt high over the crossbar.

YELLOW CARD

No complaints from James McArthur, who becomes the first player to make it into Mark Clattenburg's book for cynically taking out Bryan Ruiz.

DIFFICULT CHANCE

A corner by Giorgos Karagounis is headed clear by the Wigan defence, but only as far as Alex Kacaniklic, whose first-time left-footed effort on the half-volley goes sailing over the crossbar.

SILLY CHALLENGES

Wigan are getting into some good challenges, but their attacks have been thwarted in the last couple of minutes by a series of silly fouls from Fulham. First Dimitar Berbatov then Sascha Riether both haul Wigan players to the ground, with Mark Clattenburg awarding the vistitors free kicks on each occasion.

CLAIMED SAFELY

The ball pops up nicely on the edge of the Fulham box for James McArthur, whose effort flies straight into the arms of Mark Schwarzer.

MORE ON THAT GOAL!

Lovely goal from the veteran Greek international, who receives the ball on the edge of the box and feigns a shot, before unleashing a well-struck low drive that beats Ali Al Habsi at his far post.

GOAL!

He got his first Fulham goal in the FA Cup against Blackpool last weekend and has made it two in two here, as Giorgos Karagounis opens the scoring!

MISTAKE AT THE BACK

Lax defending from Wigan as Ivan Ramis squanders possession cheaply on the edge of his own box. Alex Kacaniklic is the one to capitalise, but his cross into the middle towards Mladen Petric turns out to be the wrong option - with Dimitar Berbatov free and screaming for the ball on the penalty spot. The Bulgarian lets his feelings known as Fulham are awarded a corner.

SIMILAR STRATEGIES

It's clear from the opening few minutes just what both Fulham and Wigan's footballing philosophies are going to be in this one. And they're very similar. Both sides are looking to utilise their more creative players to full effect - the likes of Berbatov, Petrov, Maloney and McCarthy - and you can expect the ball to be played along the turf more often than not.

NEAT INTERPLAY

Another good move by the home side, as Wigan defenders back off Mladen Petric on the edge of the box, only for the Croatian forward to wildly scoop his effort over the bar.

FAILED TO CONTROL

Half-chance for Fulham as Dimitar Berbatov attempts to control a high ball over the top. Had he done so, he would've been one-on-one with Ali Al Habsi. As it was, he couldn't quite bring it down, allowing the Wigan goalkeeper to claim.

OPPORTUNITY WASTED

The left-footed Mladen Petric attempts to swing the free kick in at goal, but his effort flies harmlessly over the crossbar.

GOOD TEMPO

Good start from both sides, and a really good tempo to boot. This time Fulham go on the attack, and Shaun Maloney clips the heels of Damien Duff right on the edge of the box. Free kick to the home side in a dangerous position.

DI SANTO'S BLUSHES SPARED

Nice free-flowing attacking move from Wigan. James McCarthy's skewed shot from inside the box falls to Franco Di Santo, who from only a couple of yards out, diverts the ball straight into a grateful Mark Schwarzer's grasp. However the Argentinean was called offside anyway, sparing some of his blushes.

EASY DECISION

Wigan are let off the hook early on when Damien Duff is called offside after racing through to latch onto Brede Hangeland's long ball. A sigh of collective relief resonates from the visitors' defence.

HERE WE GO

Fulham get things going at Craven Cottage after a slight delay.

WIGAN TEAM

Al Habsi, Figueroa, Caldwell, Ramis, Beausejour, McArthur, Jones, Boyce, McCarthy, Maloney, Di Santo. Subs: Pollitt, Henriquez, Gomez, McManaman, Boselli, Stam, Golobart.

FULHAM TEAM

Schwarzer, Riether, Hangeland, Hughes, Richardson, Duff, Karagounis, Ruiz, Kacaniklic, Berbatov, Petric. Subs: Stockdale, Riise, Senderos, Baird, Kasami, Rodallega, Dejagah.

KICK-OFF - 15:00 GMT

Join us just before kick-off for the confirmed line-ups and all the action from Craven Cottage.

WIGAN EARLY TEAM NEWS

Honduran international Roger Espinoza could make his debut for the Latics, whose talisman Arouna Kone is away at the Africa Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast. Kone's absence could mean a start for newly-signed Manchester United loanee, Angelo Henriquez. Meanwhile, Antolin Alcaraz, Adrian Lopez, Ben Watson, Albert Crusat and Ryo Miyaichi are all missing.

FULHAM EARLY TEAM NEWS

Mahamadou Diarra and Kerim Frei both miss out with knee and pelvis injuries respectively. But Martin Jol's side is set to be boosted by the returns of Mladen Petric, Damien Duff, Mark Schwarzer and John Arne Riise – all of whom missed Fulham's 1-1 draw with Blackpool in the FA Cup third round last weekend.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

A last minute Pascal Chimbonda goal sealed a 1-0 victory for Wigan in their first Premier League meeting with Fulham in 2005/06, as the Latics came racing out the blocks to record an astonishing eight wins in their first 11 games. They would go on to notch up just seven more league wins that season. But since Wigan entertained Fulham at the then-named JJB Stadium on that day in October 2005, they've only overcome the Cottagers once more in 14 attempts. In fact, Fulham have taken all three points from seven of those 14, with six draws in that time. Martin Jol's men have won three on the bounce against the Latics going into today's encounter, including a 2-1 win in September, in which Wigan old boy Hugo Rodallega netted.

THE UPS AND THE DOWNS

It's been an up-and-down season for both Fulham and Wigan. The Cottagers thrashed Norwich 5-0 on the opening day, and have claimed impressive victories against West Brom, Aston Villa and Newcastle, but ahead of hosting the Latics at the Cottage this afternoon, have only recorded two league wins since mid-October. Today's opponents, Wigan, have displayed similar form. Victories over Spurs and West Ham have perhaps been overshadowed by thumping defeats to Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle, with Roberto Martinez's men finding themselves in the bottom three over the festive period. But there is room for optimism in both camps. Fulham know a win today would push them to the brink of the top 10, while it's still probably too early on in the campaign for Wigan to begin their obligatory end-of-season win-fest that has helped them retain their top-flight status on more than one occasion.

THE MATCH

Fulham host Wigan at Craven Cottage this afternoon – two sides that have only won twice in their past 10 Premier League games. Kick-off is 15:00 GMT, and we'll bring you all the minute-by-minute action.