Wigan raise fear FA Cup can prove poisoned chalice

The Latics made history last May by beating Manchester City in the Wembley final and then slipping out of the top flight just three days later.

As Paul Lambert, the manager of Sheffield United’s third-round opponents Aston Villa, made clear this week when admitting the world’s oldest knockout competition was “something we could do without”, a need to stay in the Premier League over-rides any dreams of glory in the Cup.

Clough, a former finalist with Nottingham Forest as a player and who once took Manchester United to a replay when in charge of non-League Burton Albion, admits to understanding the sentiments expressed by Lambert.

However, the Blades’ manager is also an unashamed fan of the FA Cup and insists today’s starting XI will be the strongest he can put out.

Asked if he planned apeing Lambert by prioritising League One survival over a Cup run, Clough told the Yorkshire Post: “I think Sheffield United can do both.

“We can ensure our safety in the league and have a Cup run as well. I think the way we have approached our previous two games in the competition reflects our feelings on the competition.

“We put out full-strength sides and scored five goals in two potentially difficult away ties (at Colchester and Cambridge).

“I know people will say Premier League sides should be able to do the same as us, but I think the fear factor is so great that it prevents them doing so. Relegation is the big fear and I believe that is behind a lot of the negative press that the Cup gets.

“Wigan could have added to that fear, too. They won the Cup last year, but went down. Then, this year, they have had the added complication of the Europa League – which brought a lot of games on top of the 46 in the Championship.

“The thing is that Wigan don’t look like coming back at this moment in time, either. It will be interesting to see how much that costs them in the long run.”

United will be backed by a travelling army of around 6,000 fans today underlining that, for supporters, the magic of the Cup remains.

Clough added: “Supporters don’t feel negatively about the Cup, nor do the players. But for the clubs, there is the financial fear.

“Of course, there is a financial fear in League One about relegation. But we are not talking about a drop in income from £80m down to £23m – and that £23m of parachute payments comes with no guarantee of getting back up.

“If the worst came to the worst here, it would be nothing like that. Not, I must stress, that we are even thinking like that.