Wigan aims to shock Man City again

An immediate return to the Premier League remains Wigan Athletic's priority, but the FA Cup holder is determined to repeat last year's stunning final win over Manchester City when they meet in Sunday's last-eight clash.

Wigan beat City 1-0 at Wembley with Ben Watson's late header sealing the club its first major trophy.

Celebrations proved short-lived, however, when a loss to Arsenal three days later ensured Wigan became the first club to win the FA Cup and suffer relegation from England's top flight in the same season.

After a poor start this season that cost manager Owen Coyle his job six months after replacing Roberto Martinez, Wigan has been revived under former Manchester City striker Uwe Rosler and sits sixth in the Championship.

It travels to face a City side that has lost one league match in 12 at Etihad Stadium this season, having scored 43 goals in the process, and thrashed Wigan 5-0 earlier in the League Cup, a competition it won last Sunday against Sunderland.

"We are going to go there with intentions of trying to stay in the FA Cup - obviously we will try to retain it - but Manchester City will be looking for revenge," Wigan chairman Dave Whelan told Sky Sports.

"That said, our No 1 ambition this season is promotion back to the Premier League. The FA Cup is special, but the main priority for us is the league, the finest league in the world.

"We have a great team spirit at the moment, our boys are full of confidence and hopefully we can get into the playoffs to give us a chance to return."

Martinez, who left Wigan to join Everton in June, is looking to become the first manager ever to win the competition in consecutive seasons with different clubs.

His side faces a tough away quarterfinal at Arsenal on Saturday, and Belgium midfielder Kevin Mirallas said the match is the biggest of their season.

"Hopefully whatever the manager said to Wigan last year, he can do it again with us at Arsenal - he's very lucky with this competition," Mirallas told the Liverpool Echo.

Arsenal is boosted by the news Per Mertesacker and Tomas Rosicky have both signed new contracts, while British media reported Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey would soon be committing his future to the club.

A lower league club is guaranteed a place in the last four on Sunday with Championship struggler Charlton Athletic traveling to play third-tier Sheffield United, which has beaten Premier League sides Aston Villa and Fulham in this Cup campaign.

United is the lowest-ranked side to reach the quarterfinals since 1990.

The fourth quarterfinal pits Steve Bruce's Hull City side against his old club Sunderland, whose strong cup form belies its battle to avoid relegation.

- Reuters