This is it.
The whole season comes down to this one game.
Win and the fight continues for one last game. Lose, or even tie, and Wigan’s great escape becomes impossible (almost).
For the last three EPL seasons, Wigan Athletic have defied the odds and fought back late in campaigns to secure their status amongst England’s elite.
But their task this afternoon seems daunting. A trip to the Emirates Stadium in London is their date with destiny. But they face an Arsenal side who are chasing Champions League qualification and desperately need a win.
So, Wigan need to emulate their incredible display in Saturday’s shock FA Cup final win against Manchester City -- which coincidentally occurred just a few miles away from the Emirates at Wembley Stadium in North London -- to have any chance of securing a vital three points against the Gunners.
The history books do not favor a win for the Latics. They have lost 9 of their 10 trips to Arsenal, but the only victory did come last season, as Wigan won 2-1 in April 2012 and stayed up. A good omen?
However Arsenal are in sensational form of late, winning six of their last eight and drawing the other two. They are the form team in the league and have won all five fixtures against the current bottom three this season.
And if it is goals you are after, then the Emirate Stadium is the place to be. 65 goals have been scored there this season, more than any other EPL venue. How about this stat, Wigan are the only team to have picked up more points away (18) than at home (17) this season.
We are in for a cracker this afternoon, with EPL survival and Champions League places on the line. Fans of Wigan and Arsenal might not have many nails left by the end of the game. But either way, we will be closer to finding out the fate of both clubs. Another cup final, of sorts, will kick off in North London this afternoon. Miss it at your peril.
What they’re saying...
Arsenal
Arsene Wenger: “Both teams have to go for it, it’s a huge game for both of us. We have been very consistent, we’ve been on a remarkable run and our destiny is in our hands. Two months ago our destiny was not in our own hands. Today it is. So let’s finish the job.”
Mikel Arteta: “I think we have to forget a little bit the external part of what the game means and just focus on the good things and the things that we did right on the pitch. When you’re thinking about other things, you can’t really focus on what you’re doing. For Wigan it’s going to be a tough game mentally as well. You want to try to get the positive energy out of it, not to get yourself restricted and play with a bit of fear. That’s the wrong way.”
Wigan Athletic
Roberto Martinez: “We need to take into this game that feeling of immense pride from Saturday’s achievement at Wembley Stadium. Winning the cup will take the club onto a completely different level in terms of how we are perceived from the outside and will give us good focus for the final two games in the league. We achieved what we did at The Emirates last season in pretty much the same way we did what we did against Manchester City at the weekend, so it’s good to have some close reference before Tuesday’s game. We have to show immense levels of concentration and discipline in defence, as well as strength and confidence in attack. That will lead to a complete performance, which would seem impossible if we hadn’t done what we did last weekend, so we’re capable of repeating it again.”
Prediction: My head has to rule my heart. As much as I’d like to see Wigan win and keep their survival bid going until the final day of the season, I think winning at the Emirates is just too big of a task. Arsenal have been in great form over the past few months and need a win to climb one point clear of North London rivals Spurs for the final UCL spot, and keep their destiny in their own hands. Even with Olivier Giroud suspended, the Gunners have too much firepower for Wigan’s defense. A 3-1 win for Arsenal will send Wigan down.