Wigan Athletic, the underdogs playing in their first ever F.A. Cup final, against Manchester City, the team filled with superstars -- the result should be a foregone conclusion, really; but then when it comes to Cup finals, particularly the F.A. Cup anything is possible.
Man City will be desperate to get some piece of silverware for this season, in what has been otherwise a forgettable year. Roberto Mancini will also be aware of the pressure heaped on him to have something to show for himself and the club at the end of the season after tamely relinquishing their hold on the Premier League title to Manchester United.
The deposed Premier League champions have flattered to deceive in the league, and were again disappointing in the Champions League. Those frustrations will be taken out on Wigan on Saturday at Wembley, as City aim for their second F.A. Cup in three years.
Wigan are not exactly in the greatest of places either. They are odds-on for the drop, after losing to Swansea in the English Premier League in midweek. Roberto Martinez has just not been able to pull up this Wigan side into at least mid-table obscurity with injuries and a penchant to defend like an amateur team costing them dearly in the league.
This F.A. cup win will be their salvation, the one bright spot in what otherwise looks like a pitch-black abyss. Wigan, of course, are not entirely out of the running for survival in the Premier League, with three points separating them from Newcastle, Norwich and Sunderland, with two games remaining.
Anything can still happen - Wigan could be the F.A. Cup champions and also remain in the Premier League; that will be the target.
Nothing can give you a bigger high than winning a trophy, and when it is the first major trophy, the high goes up a few more notches, and Martinez will urge his players to forget about their Premier League woes for 90 minutes and just enjoy the feeling of playing in a major cup final.
"If we win this match, then the whole town will erupt," Wigan chairman Dave Whelan said. "The Wigan Athletic supporters have never been to a Cup Final and if we can bring that Cup back, that would be absolutely historic."
There should be goals in the game, with Wigan debilitated by injuries to their backline. John Beausejour and Ronnie Stam are almost definitely ruled out, while Maynor Figueroa, Ivan Ramis and Albert Crusat are out for the season.
Martinez will be hoping to have Antolin Alcaraz available, with the defender missing the last few weeks through injury.
City do not have too many injury worries, with Mancini confirming Yaya Toure would be available, while Scott Sinclair is ruled out for the season. Mancini is again likely to stick with second-choice goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon, which would mean a place on the bench awaits Joe Hart.
Wigan do not have a great record against City, having lost their previous six games against the Manchester side; but then there is no better time to set the record straight than Saturday at the glorious confines of Wembley.
Expected lineups: Manchester City: Pantilimon; Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Clichy; Toure, Barry; Nasri, Tevez, Silva; Aguero.
Wigan: Joel; Boyce, Caldwell, Scharner, Espinoza; McCarthy, McArthur, Gomez; McManaman, Kone, Maloney.
Prediction: 2-1 to Manchester City
