Too early to call on league positions: Martinez

Roberto Martinez insists neither his Wigan side nor Saturday’s opponents Everton need worry about their lowly league positions.

Wigan go into the Goodison Park encounter third-bottom of the Premier League, with 15 points from their 16 matches.

And Everton, despite the undoubted quality of David Moyes’ squad, are only two points better off.

The Wigan manager, though, is adamant it’s far too early to be worried about the standings with over half of the season left.

“You look at the table, and three points make a huge difference,” Martinez said.

“I don’t take the table too seriously at the moment, because sometimes a suspension or a bad run of form or two bad goals conceded can make the difference between being 18th and being in the top 10.”

“And that is how tight it is at the moment.”

“I would not use the table at the moment to assess a team I really respect like Everton. They have a huge, huge group of players and enormous talent.”

“They can play in many different ways and that is a result of the work David Moyes has been doing over many seasons.”

“They have got that strong platform in the dressing room that makes them a very competitive side and a difficult one to play against.”

“Everton are too strong as a squad to be in a relegation scrap at the end of the season.

“I rate them as a top 10 team in the Premier League, and I think they will be there very soon.”

Martinez welcomes back top scorer Hugo Rodallega from a three-match suspension for the game, although his injury crisis is showing no sign of abating.

Captain Gary Caldwell (thigh) is rated only 50-50 to regain his place at the heart of the defence, while defender James McCarthy (ankle) and winger Victor Moses (shoulder) have been joined on the injured list by striker Franco di Santo (ankle).