N'Zogbia doubtful for Latics - 7M sport

N'Zogbia doubtful for Latics

Posted Saturday, March 20, 2010 by PA

Wigan midfielder Charles N'Zogbia is doubtful for the Barclays Premier League match against Burnley at the DW Stadium.

N'Zogbia took a knock on his hip during the defeat by Aston Villa on Tuesday and is rated 50-50 by manager Roberto Martinez.

Captain Mario Melchiot is due to return to training after a thigh injury but is not expected to feature.

Scotland striker Steven Fletcher will return for Burnley after missing three games with a broken hand.

Steven Caldwell (groin) and Chris McCann (knee) are unavailable but Danny Fox is in the squad despite being taken to hospital after the Wolves match with a suspected broken rib.

Clarets manager Brian Laws has claimed Wigan have "underachieved" this season and that panic is setting in among the other relegation-threatened clubs.

The Clarets head to Wigan in need of victory to start to climb out of the bottom three of the Premier League.

Laws has crossed swords with Latics boss Roberto Martinez in the past and insists he knows what Burnley need to do to achieve their first away win in the league.

He said: "Wigan will feel the pressure because they should be looking at this as a three-pointer, and we have to start asking them questions.

"For me they are a team that has underachieved. They are a good side, good individuals, and they shouldn't be where they are.

"We have to take that as a positive and say they have got weakness and they are fragile.

"I've done battles with Roberto Martinez in the Championship and he plays the same kind of system, and if you allow it to happen it can cause you problems as Liverpool discovered last week.

"We know tactically what the game is going to be about, and I think we have to add a bit of spice to it.

"We have to play like it's the last game of the season but we want to bring Wigan within touching distance of us.

"We have not won away this season but there has to be a turning point. It's only a matter of time and we will get that little bit of luck that every team needs."

Laws was the subject of a report, swiftly knocked down by the club, that he would be sacked this week and he believes Hull's decision to fire Phil Brown was stimulated by fear.

He added: "I think panic does set in. Finances in football clubs are critical and Hull for instance have huge bills.

"There is panic there because if they go out of this Premier League they have got a major problem and that's why they have made the decision around Phil Brown.

"It's not just Hull City there are other clubs around the bottom who are feeling the pressure and we have to capitalise on that.

"Everyone is writing us off anyway so let's go out there and prove people wrong."

Tag:


Attention: Third parties may advertise their products and/or services on our website.7M does not warrant the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of their contents.
Your dealings with such third parties are solely between you and such third parties and we shall not be liable in any way for any loss or damage of any sort incurred by you.