Lee Dixon: No winning start for Robins at Huddersfield

17Feb 2013

FA Cup

Wigan face Huddersfield in Sunday's late FA Cup kick-off with the home team ushering in the reign of new manager Mark Robins, but it's likely to end in defeat says Lee Dixon...

Mark Robins will be the centre of attention in his first game as Huddersfield manager but I don't see him getting off to a winning start with the Terriers. Once again I must plump for Premier League class over lower league opposition in this weekend's FA Cup action.

This is the first time Wigan have made it past the fourth round under Roberto Martinez and they have been offered a golden chance to go deeper than ever in the Cup against a Huddersfield side with just one win in the last 10 league games.

Then again the Latics have an even worse record over the same period in the Premier League and it could be argued that this is a case of who wants it more.

Ultimately though, I have to back Premier League quality against a side with so many question marks hanging over them. I imagine Wigan will edge a low scoring encounter by a solitary goal, perhaps two.

In Robins, Huddersfield look to have got a good manager. He certainly did a great job at Coventry. I played against Mark a few times and he always seemed like a studious character and it's not a huge surprise that he has gone on to become a manager. No disrespect intended to Coventry, but in Huddersfield he is at a good club with a decent stadium and a progressive attitude.

Mark's main brief will be to keep Huddersfield in the Championship and that makes this almost a 'no-loss' game for him. A defeat will not be the end of the world and he can get a free-run knowing the pressure is off.

A loss wouldn't be cataclysmic for Martinez and Wigan either with league survival the perennial priority at the DW Stadium. Results last weekend dropped them to 19th in the Premier League table but we all know that Wigan do their best work in the last few games of the season so no-one will be panicking quite yet.

With Wigan at 50.0 to win the Cup and Huddersfield 130.0, the Betfair market has it about right. Winning the competition is not a realistic target at either club and you sense that a good run would be considered a bonus.

That's a shame but it's understandable. Back when I was playing, the FA Cup was a massive competition but staying in the league has become all-important given the disastrous financial ramifications of relegation. I still think that teams should go all out to win the FA Cup though - nothing beats playing at Wembley and lifting some silverware, not to mention qualifying for Europe.

Wigan are favourites to win this and I think they'll justify that. I'm going to back them for the victory via a pair of correct score bets - 1-0 and 2-0 with a wager on Franco di Santo to score. The Argentinian has a touch of class about him and that should be enough to separate the two sides on the day.

Recommended Bets

Back Wigan to win 1-0 @ 9.0, 2-0 @ 12.0

Back Franco Di Santo to score @ 3.5