Wigan Athletic v Manchester City: live 19.29 A-John Gibbons (I've added the hyphen to make him sound like an American sports star of some kind) has chipped in on the ignited topic of smoking footballers: On the subject of the continental tradition, I once met a man who had worked with the France setup, and he said that quite a few French footballers enjoy a smoke, though the only name I remember is Laurent Blanc. 19.23 Here are tonight's teams: Wigan: Al Habsi, Alcaraz, Caldwell, Figueroa, Stam, McCarthy, Gomez, McArthur, Crusat, Rodallega, Moses. Subs: Pollitt, Gohouri, Watson, Di Santo, McManaman, Boyce, Sammon. Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Savic, Lescott, Clichy, Milner, Barry, Silva, Aguero, Nasri, Dzeko. Subs: Pantilimon, Johnson, Kolarov, Hargreaves, Onuoha, De Jong, Rekik. Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire) Interestingly, fact fans, I believe this is the first time I've ever liveblogged a Wigan match in my 14-month liveblog career. Doesn't seem like they're on TV that often. Can't think why. 19.20 While glamorous Damian Durrant suggests a hip, modish approach: Thom, here in LA it's all about hypnosis to get over the smokes not will power. Why don't you, Torres and the Arsenal back four, all chip in for some top notch hypnotherapy to get over your various debilitating problems? 19.18 Inspiring words from liveblog champion Graeme Walker: I am not sure that any Premier League players are smokers. Back in the spring of 1998 I too, with the help of her inside, became a non-smoker. I gave up the twenty-a-day and learned to sense what I had been missing for so many years. I was asked, and so often back then, when did I know I had given up smoking. I had used patches for the prescribed time but knew I had chucked the habit when, one day, I was laying in the bath and smelt, for the fist time in years, the smell of the earth that was in a nearby pot, along with the plant that was also there. 19.12 The official Manchester City Twitter feed has come into its own. Here's their starting line-up: Hart, Zabaleta, Savic, Lescott, Clichy, Milner, Barry, Nasri, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko No Balotelli or Richards on the City bench, according to the self-same Twitter feed. 19.08 Peter Littley with a thorough list of smoking footballers: Two I've actually seen smoking, Jack Charlton and Ribery, so you are leaving high quality company. In good European tradition, Zidane, Cruyff and Berbatov puff away. Rooney includes smoking with his other weaknesses as does Balotelli, Lampard and Ashley Cole. Lampard? Cole? Citations needed for those two, I think. And I'd argue that I'm joining highger-quality company. Surely the majority of footballers prefer nicotine patches? 19.05 Here is Oisin Maher with an email mischeviously subject-lined "MESSAGE OF SUPPORT" Just wanted to tell you I'm enjoying my post-dinner cigarette with a lovely glass of Merlot. Are you enjoying your live blog yet? I hope not. Muhaha. 19.00 Set your brains to "educate me, man with a dubious moustache," the Gary Neville Power Hour AKA Monday Night Football is about to begin. 18.30 Evening liveblog lizards. I am no longer a smoker. My ruinous eight-a-day habit is gone. Gone! Forever! Definitely! I tell you this now because this has the potential to turn into an extremely bad-tempered next few hours for me, and there's nothing that people enjoy more than an apology in advance. How many hours / days without fags will it take until I am officially over the hump? Is nicotine gum a waste of time? Can Wigan Athletic pull of the shock of the season? Look at that, seamless. Manchester City are having a bit of a wobble at the moment. They've lost their last two (albeit both Cup games) and have won just once in their last four. It's Wigan, though. When have Wigan ever shocked us in a game against one of the league's better teams? (Excluding Arsenal) [not because they're not one of the league's better teams, because Wigan beat them a few times]. I'm not holding out much hope. For them, or my ability to make it to the end of the week without either chewing off my hand of buying a delicious packet of Lucky Strikes. Please send messages of support and endorsements of that book by the less funny Allen Carr. Here is a match preview: Monday, January 16, 2012 Wigan v Man City DW Stadium Kick-off: 20.00 GMT TV: Live Sky Sport 1 Referee: Martin Atkinson (Matches 16, R6 Y54).