The Boot Room: Wigan can’t afford to party just yet

Wigan Athletic can’t celebrate Saturday’s shock 1-0 FA Cup final win over Manchester City until they secure English Premier League survival this week.

Three points deep into the relegation zone behind Newcastle, Norwich and Sunderland, The Latics must now win their remaining two games of the season away to Arsenal on Tuesday and at home to Aston Villa on Sunday to even stand a chance of safety.

Europa League qualification, a Charity Shield clash with David Moye’s Manchester United, £4.3 million (Dh24.2 million) prize money and the prestige of a first major honour in the club’s 81-year history will mean absolutely nothing when they are playing away to Championship-side Bournemouth next season with £35 million losses.

The question is, will the FA Cup win have strengthened their resolve or left them mentally and physically exhausted for the final stretch?

Knowing they can overcome the likes of Manchester City will be a major confidence boost and winning a competition they could have seriously of done without is of course better for the mentality of the players than losing it, if they must play it at all.

But the imaginary finish line could have also been surpassed, and weary legs and emotions coming down from the highest of highs will be confronted with the cold harsh realities of anti-climax this morning. The real work has yet to begin and that somewhat tarnishes the cup’s shine.

Whether relegated or not, Roberto Martinez, who has already kept Wigan up against the odds over three consecutive seasons, is now a frontrunner to replace Moyes at Everton. The best of his current squad have also adequately advertised their potential to either follow him or hold their own at a top-flight rival. So, just as easily as it has raised confidence the FA Cup win could have also deflated ambitions.

The biggest argument to take away from all of this is: Why is the FA Cup being played before the end of the season? What used to be the glamourous domestic year-ender is now thrown in among the last few games when teams are either tired or pre-occupied. And if Wigan go down, this will surely be the question everyone wants answered.