This weekend sees a clutch of fascinating tussles between teams either going for glory or battling the drop. This tie gives both West Ham and Wigan the opportunity for another big stride away from peril.
With Hull City mired in the Premiership’s drop zone and Aston Villa still in with slim chance of a top four finish, Wednesday clash has connotations for teams in both halves of the league.
This time last year Blackburn Rovers were in a tussle to beat relegation, this season, having risen above the critical 40-point mark, they are enjoying the safety that comes with mid-table obscurity.
Burnley begin stage two of their fight for Premier League survival at Sunderland after a promising 4-1 win over fellow strugglers Hull last weekend.
It’s a crucial match for Premier League strugglers West Ham and Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday, with both teams needing a win to improve their chances of Premiership survival.