Team news: Salford v Wigan (Sun)
Another turbulent week for champions Wigan ends with a tough challenge away at Salford.
Second bottom in the table with one win from six, the Warriors are embroiled in a “will he won’t he” with Shaun Edwards, who was due to take over as coach in 2020 but now it transpires he doesn’t have a contract and the club won’t stand in his way if he wants to go elsewhere.
It’s proved an unwelcome distraction to Wigan fans already frustrated at a sloppy start of the season under new boss Adrian Lam.
Lam is boosted by the return of Joe Burgess, who has missed the last 11 months with a knee injury.
Fellow wide man Dom Manfredi returns from a mouth injury, but Sam Powell (ankle), Liam Marshall (knee), Morgan Escare and Taulima Tautai (suspended) are all missing.
Lam told the club’s official website: “They had a fantastic win a few weeks ago over in Catalans and they have been playing really well. We’ve got to prepare to make sure that we are at our absolute best.
“We feel we have taken a step forward with our on-field attitude and the way that we’ve been training so I look forward to it.”
It’s a measure of Ian Watson’s Salford that they will look at this game as one they could and maybe should win.
Adam Walker is in line to make his home debut having made his Red Devils bow last weekend following his return from a drugs ban.
Another man hoping to make his first appearance in front of the home fans at the AJ Bell Stadium is Adam Lawton, who is joined in the squad by another ex-Widnes player in Ed Chamberlain.
Gordon’s gamble: Joe Burgess is 8/1 to mark his return with the first try
Salford 19-man squad: Evalds, Chamberlain, Welham, Bibby, Lui, Dudson, Jones, Griffin, Flanagan, Lussick, Walker, Nakubuwai, Tomkins, Murray, Olpherts, Sio, Turgut, Lawton, Hastings
Wigan 19-man squad: Bullock, Burgess, Byrne, Clubb, Davies, Flower, Gildart, Greenwood, Hamlin, Hardaker, Isa, Leuluai, Manfredi, Navarrete, O’Loughlin, Sammut, Sarginson, Shorrocks, Williams.