Roberto Martinez not prepared to compromise Wigan style during relegation scrap

Latics passed their way to a 2-0 FA Cup semi-final victory over Millwall

Roberto Martinez salutes the Wigan fan at Wembley (GETTY IMAGES)

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez is not prepared to compromise his footballing philosophy no matter how tricky the situation he finds himself in.

Latics passed their way to a 2-0 FA Cup semi-final victory over Millwall on Saturday, in exactly the same manner as they got themselves out of trouble in the Barclays Premier League last season.

Positive results for Sunderland and Aston Villa over the weekend mean Wigan are back in bother at the bottom, for all their elation at booking a meeting with Manchester City on May 11 and, in all probability, European football for the first time.

But there is no way Martinez will abandon his principles in the intense scrap for points.

"I have never been tempted to change," he said.

"From starting as a manager at Swansea in 2007, it hasn't been easy.

"Everyone looks at Swansea now and thinks they have played that way for 20 years. It took six months.

"It was very new and people had to be educated.

"But since I left my country to join the British game I would never change my football beliefs."

There could be a huge sense of satisfaction for Martinez from the possibility that both Wigan and Swansea could be in the Europa League next season.

The matter is slightly complicated as far as the Latics are concerned, with City - who they meet at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday - needing to finish in the Champions League places.

Even then, as runners-up they would go into the competition two rounds earlier than the group phase, which is the prize for actually winning the FA Cup for the first time in their history.

So victory is preferable, with Martinez insisting it can be done.

"If you look back at the games we played against the top teams in the league, you will see we are brave," he said.

"We play eye-to-eye. It has given us incredible results in the past.

"Four years ago we had never beaten a top four club. Now we have a very good record.

"At times we have been on the wrong end of a bad result but what the people will see in the final is two teams trying to get on the ball and sharing similar concepts.

"That is a fantastic compliment for us as a football club."

PA