Martinez wary of Cats backlash

Published Apr. 21, 2011 2:38 p.m. ET

foxsports

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has warned his players to be wary of a Sunderland backlash at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Sunderland have lost eight of their last nine matches to slip into trouble in the Premier League, and a Wigan win on Saturday would move Martinez's men to within a point of their hosts.

Latics climbed out of the bottom three last week following a 3-1 win at Blackpool but Martinez will not be taking Steve Bruce's strugglers lightly.

"It's never an easy place to go, especially at the moment with Sunderland in a difficult position," he said.

"They will be looking for that one win that will probably keep them in the Premier League, and that will make it a tough encounter.

"I don't think you can choose a right or wrong time to be playing an opponent.

"All you can do is control the things you can control - such as your own moment of form - and I just feel that over the past eight games we've reached a high level.

"We'll have to show great composure and maturity because they'll put us under massive pressure.

"Playing three games in a row on the road was always going to be tough, but we played well at Chelsea and Blackpool, and we aim to do the same this weekend."