Manager on tomorrow's trip to Cumbria
Paul Dickov has dismissed any notion that Latics will be in for an easy ride in tomorrow's npower League One match at Carlisle United.Latics' manager is paying little heed to statistics which show Carlisle have won only once in six home league games and they have won only once in their last half dozen competitive matches.
Dickov is only too aware how the battling Cumbrians have caused them problems on their last two visits to Brunton Park.
Latics held a commanding 3-0 lead last October and a 2-0 advantage the previous season only to leave each time with a share of the spoils.
Dickov said: "We have seen ourselves that whenever a team is on a bad run, it takes one performance or one piece of luck to turn it around and they will be hoping to do that tomorrow.
"Though Carlisle lost at Colchester on Saturday, our reports said they were an attacking threat and the game could easily have finished 5-5 or 6-6.
"They are creating chances and Greg Abbott will be thinking positive results are just around the corner and they will be hoping it will be against us.
"Though we go with a lot of confidence, we will respect them as Greg is a footballing man and he has a good team."
Dickov acknowledges Latics are heading to Cumbria with spirits high after collecting 10 points from a possible 12 from their last four league matches.
"It has been a good month and our performances and results have been really pleasing and the confidence in the group and within the club is really high and we are on a roll at the moment," he explained.
Dickov says the last two visits to Brunton Park have been hugely entertaining games saying they were in a winning position at half time.
"But at the end Greg has viewed it as a victory after his side came back having been two and three down," he said.
Dickov says the last two visits to Brunton Park have been hugely entertaining games saying they were in a winning position at half time.
"But at the end Greg has viewed it as a victory after his side came back having been two and three down," he said.
Latics' manager says new-boys Jose Baxter, Matt Derbyshire and Reece Wabara have helped transform Latics' fortunes.
However, it says it would be unfair to lavish praise exclusively on the trio.
Dickov continued: "They are players who can all play at a higher level, but, as well as they have done, the others deserve a lot of credit.
"For those three to play well, they need team mates around them."