Just three days after lifting the FA Cup, Wigan Athletic were relegated from the Premier League after a 4-1 defeat at Arsenal on Tuesday.
After losing the Premier League title to neighbors Manchester United, you wouldn't have been looking for a bet against Manchester City on Unibet winning their last hope of silverware this season.
Against all odds, though, Wigan beat Roberto Mancini's men to win the FA Cup last weekend.
But in three days, the Lancashire club have gone from the greatest day in the club's history to the stunning reality of a return to the Championship after eight years in the top flight.
Wigan needed to get at least a point to give them the faintest chance of survival, but defeat leaves them four points adrift of 17th-placed Sunderland with just one game left in the season.
Arsenal took the lead after nine minutes when poor marking at a corner let Lukas Podolski head his 16th goal of the season.
Hopes of another great escape from the Latics were briefly raised as Shaun Maloney equalized in first-half added time with an exquisite free-kick.
But three Arsenal goals in eight minutes of the second half ended any Wigan dreams of the win they needed to take their survival fight to the last day of the season.
Theo Walcott put the hosts ahead again in the 63rd minute after turning in Santi Cazorla's low cross into the net despite an attempted block by Wigan goalkeeper Joel Robles.
The game was up for the visitors just five minutes later as Podolski lobbed Robles for his second of the night.
And Wigan were down and out when Arsenal added a fourth goal through Aaron Ramsey's solo effort on 71 minutes.
However, Wigan manager Roberto Martínez has vowed they will be back in the Premier League anytime soon.
He told the club's website: "We have to make sure that we get stronger and that the future of this football club is very bright.
"It's a time for everyone involved with this football club to very proud of the last eight seasons in the Premier League and of winning the FA Cup.
"As a football club we have been defying the odds year-after-year and this season we have been playing outstanding football week-after-week.
"It's time to have a breather at the end of the season and make sure that we have all the good things together at the club."
Wigan bowed out of the Premier League with the defeat but each and every player showed their heart as they walked across the pitch to meet their supporters, many throwing away shirts and some brought to tears.
Martínez added: "I'd like to thank our fans more than anything.
"My message to them is that they've given everything they have got and now we all need to pull together again to bounce back as a football club.
"Nobody gave us a chance of having more than one season in the Premier League so there are many aspects for them to be extremely proud of."
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| Wigan players walk over to greet their fans following their relegation from the Premier League Photo: Getty Images |
After losing the Premier League title to neighbors Manchester United, you wouldn't have been looking for a bet against Manchester City on Unibet winning their last hope of silverware this season.
Against all odds, though, Wigan beat Roberto Mancini's men to win the FA Cup last weekend.
But in three days, the Lancashire club have gone from the greatest day in the club's history to the stunning reality of a return to the Championship after eight years in the top flight.
Wigan needed to get at least a point to give them the faintest chance of survival, but defeat leaves them four points adrift of 17th-placed Sunderland with just one game left in the season.
Arsenal took the lead after nine minutes when poor marking at a corner let Lukas Podolski head his 16th goal of the season.
Hopes of another great escape from the Latics were briefly raised as Shaun Maloney equalized in first-half added time with an exquisite free-kick.
But three Arsenal goals in eight minutes of the second half ended any Wigan dreams of the win they needed to take their survival fight to the last day of the season.
Theo Walcott put the hosts ahead again in the 63rd minute after turning in Santi Cazorla's low cross into the net despite an attempted block by Wigan goalkeeper Joel Robles.
The game was up for the visitors just five minutes later as Podolski lobbed Robles for his second of the night.
And Wigan were down and out when Arsenal added a fourth goal through Aaron Ramsey's solo effort on 71 minutes.
 | |
| Wigan manager Roberto Martínez reacts following his team's relegation from the Premier League Photo: Getty Images |
However, Wigan manager Roberto Martínez has vowed they will be back in the Premier League anytime soon.
He told the club's website: "We have to make sure that we get stronger and that the future of this football club is very bright.
"It's a time for everyone involved with this football club to very proud of the last eight seasons in the Premier League and of winning the FA Cup.
"As a football club we have been defying the odds year-after-year and this season we have been playing outstanding football week-after-week.
"It's time to have a breather at the end of the season and make sure that we have all the good things together at the club."
Wigan bowed out of the Premier League with the defeat but each and every player showed their heart as they walked across the pitch to meet their supporters, many throwing away shirts and some brought to tears.
Martínez added: "I'd like to thank our fans more than anything.
"My message to them is that they've given everything they have got and now we all need to pull together again to bounce back as a football club.
"Nobody gave us a chance of having more than one season in the Premier League so there are many aspects for them to be extremely proud of."
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