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I think if the club could say no thanks to this one we really would. The Championship is our number one priority, then comes the Europa League and the FA Cup where as the League Cup must be at the bottom of the pile; especially when you get a team like Manchester City for your first game.
This will be the clubs fourth game in the space of ten days. That is a massive turn around of games so early on in the season, especially with the traveling away to a game in Europe. Have we got enough players to rota the squad and reduce the effect of fatigue, you would hope so.
It is likely much like Manuel Pellegrini will do with Manchester City, Owen Coyle will use his fringe players. Speaking of Manchester City it is likely that Costel Patilimon, Micah Richards, Jolean Lescott, James Milner and Stephen Jovetic all possibly in the running for starting positions.
That will still be a side which will cause Wigan some serious problems if they hit top form.
Latics though are likely to be a much changed side from the weekends game. Owen Coyle has hinted at the chance of youth players to get a game here, so that seems to indicate that Lee Nicholls, Nouha Dicko, Adam Buxton, Daniel Redmond and Frazer Fyvie could be in the Latics starting 11.
A much changed side as the experienced lads sit out again this week. With three players in Shaun Maloney, Grant Holt and Marc Antoine-Fortune now out injured along with Gary Caldwell, Ivan Ramis and Ali Al Habsi; our team is beginning to look bear again.
The return of the six mention players will be a huge boost in the weeks to come, but right now, we have to face a strong Manchester City team coming of the back of a morale boosting demolition of rivals Manchester United. Anyone get the feeling we could be lambs for the slaughter tonight?