Premier League preview: Norwich v Wigan

9 March 2012 06:06

Norwich City will be aiming to re-ignite their bid for Premier League safety when Wigan visit Carrow Road on Sunday.

Norwich, in 11th place in the table with 35 points, will be looking to end a run of three successive defeats after their home FA Cup exit to Leicester was followed by losses to Manchester United and the 1-0 defeat at Stoke City on Saturday.

Most City fans will consider getting some points on the board this weekend as a must – but the pressure to do so will not play heavily on Norwich minds, according to Zak Whitbread.

"It's a big game, they are fighting for their lives and we are fighting to stay in the league, so it will be a tough one because they are a good side and they have had some good results," centre-back Whitbread told EDP 24 newspaper.

"So we have got to play it as we do and try and get a result. Of course you want to get points in any game – and we want those points against Wigan – but it's not going to kill us and be in our heads where we put too much pressure on ourselves."

"We will just go into it like any other game. We want points as much as anyone and we are not going to get too worked up about it."

The two sides have met only six times with Norwich yet to concede a goal at Carrow Road.

Cellar dwellers Wigan were beaten 2-0 at home by Swansea at the weekend and under-pressure manager Roberto Martinez knows the importance of three points in this crucial clash.

The defeat extended Wigan's winless sequence at home in the league to 12, with just 11 matches left.

Wigan captain Gary Caldwell believes the club is well capable of escaping relegation.

Caldwell admits the players let themselves down against Swansea but he is hoping the result will spur them into action.

"There's going to be blows between now and the end of the season, it's all about how we react to the set-backs," he told wiganlatics.co.uk.

"We have to take it on the chin and it has to make us stronger as a group and as individuals."

"It has to give us the determination to improve and get better as the season comes to an end; we've done it in the past and I'm sure we can do it again."

"We went through similar experiences last season and came out victorious at the end, so we have to draw on those memories again this time round."