Man City can break Wigan hearts ahead of FA Cup final meeting

Shorn of the dodgy suits, marching bands and red arrows fly-pasts of their upcoming FA Cup final face off Man City’s clash with Wigan may seem like a somewhat anodyne affair, but it offers the Sky Blues a chance to psychologically smash their struggling foes ahead of the Wembley show piece. The clubs’ shared history is a distinctly one-sided affair and City can be backed to uphold tradition win with a -2 handicap at 9/5 with Coral.

Wigan’s ability to beat top teams when in direst need is well known, but there is a distinct dichotomy between those that the Latics’ pick-pocket and those whom they don’t. Established ruling class teams like Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool all felt assured enough in their status to chuck down the odd husk of points to Roberto Martinez’s side last term, but Chelsea and Manchester City are still insecure enough in their role as overlords to feel that they must crush Wigan like they actually stand a chance of interfering with their new-found status.

Forget meat and drink, the Sky Blues haven’t even allowed Wigan bread and water for for six consecutive meetings, with the aggregate score in that time 12-0 to Roberto Mancini’s oil barons.
Coral go 23/20 about the City win to nil at the Etihad for the ninth time in ten home games.

Even in the midst of an effervescent run of six wins in their last eight games Wigan have chucked a few stinkers, utterly capitulating 4-0 at home to Liverpool and needing a last gasp equaliser to avoid defeat to a QPR side who’d played with 10 men for 69 minutes.

The last time Wigan came to visit the big-boys they were thumped 4-1 at Stamford Bridge and they’ve been beaten 3-0 in two of their last three visits to Eastlands. An identkit victory for the hosts is 15/2 with Coral.

The Sky Blues leading strikers Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero plundered a hat-trick each in those victories and both can be backed to net another three-timer at the 12/1 mark. Of the pair Aguero looks the front runner, having notched in his last two games for the club.