COOK: DERBY CLASH COULD BE CRUCIAL...
WIGAN Athletic manager Paul Cook is in full agreement with his Blackburn Rovers counterpart Tony Mowbray about the significance of today’s eagerly-awaited derby showdown.
“In my opinion, Sunday’s fixture will determine a lot of the outcome for where the two teams will finish come the end of the season – if we win, it will give us a massive advantage over Blackburn,” said Cook.
A victory for the Latics would cut the deficit to Rovers to three points – and they’ve played four fewer games.
Yet it’s that very fixture pileup that may make some people believe that the Ewood Park outfit, and not Wigan, are favourites to win the League One title.
Ahead of today’s showdown, Wigan have got a minimum of 16 games to play before they round off their campaign with a trip to Doncaster Rovers on May 5.
They’ve got 15 leagues games left and they’re still in the FA Cup.
And they will fancy their chances in the quarter-finals having already seen off runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City and West Ham en route to the last eight.
The Latics host top-flight Southampton on Sunday, March 18 and it will be another high-profile occasion for them.
The match is being televised live on BBC One (1.30pm) and that gives the 2013 winners another hefty £247,500 broadcast fee.
Yet it is another weekend without a league fixture, giving promotion rivals Blackburn, Shrewsbury and Rotherham the chance to take advantage.
And there could also be a danger that Wigan take their eye of their bread and butter, the league, because of their FA Cup progress that could yet continue.
Yet there is no way that Wigan won’t be fully focused for today’s clash.
The Latics and Blackburn both crashed out of the Championship last term and are desperate to get back at the first time of asking.
“It is one of those fixtures at the start of the season that you look towards,” said Cook.
“The Sky cameras are there, both teams were relegated last season, so there is so much hype about the game.
“I think Blackburn have done outstanding, Tony has done an amazing job and they are knocking wins out so repetitively.
“We go there with the belief we are going to win and I am sure Tony will say the same to his players as I will to mine.”
With their midweek game at Bristol Rovers postponed, Wigan come into the game fresh – and it’s going to be a testing month.
Ahead of the FA Cup game against Saints, the Latics host Scunthorpe next Saturday and go to Bradford the following Wednesday.
Afterwards, they travel to Walsall (Wed, March 21) and Bury (Sat, March 24) before hosting Oldham (Friday, March 30).
It’s going to be a hectic month.
Three points today would be the perfect tonic.