Carrick urges United to be wary of Wigan
Michael Carrick believes Manchester United's record against Wigan will count for nothing when Sir Alex Ferguson's leader try to take another huge stride towards the Premier League title at the DW Stadium on Wednesday.
United will celebrate a record 20th English championship on Sunday if they win their next two games and nearest rivals Manchester City lose their next two.
Ferguson's side, eight points clear at the top with six games remaining, are away to relegation-threatened Wigan on the same day City entertain mid-table West Brom.
City, who have won just twice in 10 top-flight away games, away at Norwich on Saturday before United entertain struggling Aston Villa on Sunday.
Ferguson is refusing to get carried away as he eyes the 13th league title of his Old Trafford reign, the long-serving United manager insisting his players take each game as it comes.
However, it will require a dramatic collapse for United to hand the initiative back to Roberto Mancini's expensively-assembled City side, and it could all be over in a few days.
United have won all 13 of their Premier League encounters with Wigan, scoring 21 times in the last five encounters between the two north-west clubs alone.
But England midfielder Carrick is taking nothing for granted, insisting Wigan, next to bottom in the table, will be dangerous opponents as they are fighting for survival.
"It doesn't matter what we have done against them in the past," said Carrick. "What's important is what we do on Wednesday.
"Yes, we have a good record against them but this is a different team and a different season.
"Wigan have proved recently that they're capable of getting good results and we'll have to be at our best if we're to get what we want.
"No one here is getting carried away and we won't be complacent."
Ferguson is expected to make a number of changes to the side that overcame QPR 2-0 on Sunday, United's eighth straight league win.
Midfielder Tom Cleverley could start against the club where he spent last season on loan while 38-year-old Ryan Giggs, who is closing in on his 13th Premier League title, is also poised to return to the starting line-up.
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has to lift his players after Saturday's highly controversial 2-1 defeat at Champions League semifinalists Chelsea.
The Latics looked set to secure a priceless point before Juan Mata scored a last gasp goal. Earlier, Branislav Ivanovic had opened the scoring for Chelsea from an offside position.
Martinez has told his players to forget about the events at Stamford Bridge and concentrate on climbing out of the relegation zone.
"We can't changed what happened and now we have a huge game coming up against Manchester United," said the Spaniard.
"We have shown against Liverpool and Chelsea that we can compete with these teams and I want to see that again from my players against United."
