Barnsley come into this one off the back of a thumping 3-0 friendly win over Lincoln City at Oakwell. That result tells you two things: they can score, and they can keep a clean sheet. Pre-season form is a funny old beast — it can flatter and deceive in equal measure — but a three-goal margin against a fellow League One side suggests the Tykes are already sharpening their claws. The goals were flowing, the back line looked organised, and the home crowd at Oakwell will have left with a spring in their step. Momentum is a real thing in football, and Barnsley have it.

Wigan, by contrast, were on the wrong end of a 1-3 home defeat to Port Vale in their most recent friendly. That is a red flag. Losing at home in pre-season is not a disaster, but shipping three goals to a mid-table League Two side raises questions about their defensive solidity. The Latics will be working hard on the training ground to fix those issues, but you cannot just switch on a solid back line overnight. They arrive at Oakwell with a wobble in their step, and that is exactly what Barnsley will want to exploit.

Neither side has a confirmed coach or formation in the research, so we are working with what we see on the pitch. But the eye test from recent results favours the home side. Barnsley look like a team building belief; Wigan look like a team still searching for answers. In a season opener, that contrast can be decisive.