Wigan Athletic manager Shaun Maloney does not expect an easy route through to the third round of the FA Cup this evening, despite taking on a York City side two divisions below them in the football pyramid.
Maloney, who notably won the competition as a player for Wigan in 2013, spoke to club media before the BBC televised fixture tonight and did not disacknowledge the fact that it will be a difficult encounter for his side by stating, “The history of the cup brings up games like this, It will be a tough game”.
The Lancashire side go into this fixture unbeaten in six in all competitions and will be doing all they can to ensure that their FA Cup campaign does not end in embarrassing circumstances. When asked about how his side would approach the trip to the LNER Community Stadium, the former Wigan player’s message was simple; “We will be going full strength”, highlighting that defeat tonight is not an option. Supporters will be expecting the team to get the job done and secure a safe passage into the third round where they could meet with a Premier League club.
The Latics could do with a cup run this season, with their ten-point deduction in the league denting hopes of a swift promotion back to the Championship, they could have a real go in the Fa Cup and cause a few shocks. They did just that under Paul Cook in the fifth round in 2018, securing a 1-0 win over Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at the DW Stadium – and of course the famous shock win against the same opponents a decade ago at Wembley to write another FA Cup shock into the history books.
Hosts York City will hope it’s themselves that can cause a cup shock when the teams line up tonight, with the Minstermen battling against relegation in the National League. Tonight’s match comes as a break from league action, and a chance to impress on live TV, which is exactly what manager Neal Ardley will want from his players.
However, Maloney has made it very clear that whilst he expects a tough game tonight, losing is not an option for his side, with a great deal of expectation that his team will professionally come out clear winners this evening.
Writer’s View:
It certainly will not be an easy game for Wigan tonight, with a packed-out LNER Community Stadium ready to cause an upset and reach the third round for the first time in over a decade and the fact that the game is being televised will only ramp up the home side even more.
But if they turn up and perform to the levels they have shown in recent times, they should have enough to overcome their National League opponents and advance into the next round, which upon listening to his interview can be identified as Shaun Maloney’s sole aim for this evening.
