Fulham boss Chris Coleman insists he will treat Saturday’s trip to Wigan with the same gravity as a game with Manchester United or Arsenal.
And the Welshman can point to a Premiership table which sees the new boys ahead of both former champions as the reason why.
Paul Jewell’s unfancied side have been the great success story of the season so far and will kick off the lunchtime clash in fourth place, 10 places ahead of Fulham.
That makes the Cottagers firm underdogs in Coleman’s eyes and he was determined that his players would put in the same amount of effort as in earlier clashes with bigger name teams, the most recent of which saw Liverpool beaten 2-0 last week.
He said: “Wigan won’t be fearing us on Saturday but they don’t want to be taking us lightly either because we have proved we can compete against the best teams.
“We have played Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham, given them all a game – and taken points off some of them. We are a good team as well.
“Confidence is very high and the mood in the camp is excellent. When you beat the European champions it is going to give you a lift.
“If we can take the same work ethic from last week and take it into Saturday’s game then I’m sure we can get a result. We will have to be stubborn again and we have that little bit of flair that can win us the game.”
Coleman was not so happy about the game’s lunchtime kick-off, which he believed had inconvenienced his side’s supporters.
He said: “For me, Saturday at three o’clock, that’s the time when football should be played but it is out of our hands and will be the same for Wigan.
“But it will make it hard for our fans and that is a shame because they have been brilliant. We have not always been winning this season but they have turned up for us.
“I don’t know what kind of support we are going to get but I hope they do come because they have been fantastic.
“It’s a strange kick-off time, quarter to one.”
Coleman made changes in midweek for a Carling Cup tie at home to West Brom which saw the Baggies triumph 3-2 in extra-time.
As a result he will revert to the side that beat Liverpool, with only minor personnel changes and the established formation with just Collins John up front.
