Wigan Athletic's '˜Magnificent 7' won't mean a thing - Cook

Wigan Athletic's magnificent 7-0 victory at Oxford just before Christmas will not be forgotten for a long time by supporters of either club - but Paul Cook doesn't feel that game will be at all a factor in Tuesday night's return at the DW Stadium.
Paul CookPaul Cook
Paul Cook

“I think that was probably a freak result, wasn’t it,” Cook claimed.

“One of those days where everything we hit goes in, and their worst day of the season. That’s gone now though, everyone’s moved on.

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“Does that inspire them to perform in this game? I don’t know, you’d have to ask them.

“But that result won’t be in our thinking at all, because when you start looking back you will only find yourself in trouble.”

For Cook and Latics, it’s the first of five remaining matches that will decide which division they’ll play in next term.

With a game in hand over second-placed Blackburn, who are level on points, and a five-point buffer to third-placed Shrewsbury, it’s very much advantage Latics at the moment.

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Not that Cook is looking any further forward than tonight’s encounter against the U’s.

“We’ve just got keep going – it’s it what it is,” insisted the Latics boss.

“You’ve only got to look at the long list of strange results at the weekend to prove you can’t just turn up and expect to win games.

“No-one has the divine right to win any game, winning runs can quickly come to an end.

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“With five games to go, we’ve got 87 points...what can we get to?

“It’s about getting as many points as we can, and hoping it’s good enough.”

Oxford will be quite literally a different side to that which was embarrassed by Latics in December, with Karl Robinson having taken over the reins in recent weeks.

Robinson has already left the DW with a point this term, with Charlton just after Christmas, and will be going all-out to throw another spoke into Wigan’s promotion wheel.

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“Their form’s probably been a little bit indifferent, but Karl will have been pleased to get the win on Saturday,” recognised Cook.

“Southend have been in good form, and winning that one probably guarantees their safety in the league.

“How they come and play here is up to them.

“All we can do is concentrate on ourselves and what we do.”