Tangerines taught us a lesson last year, says Martinez

Wigan v Blackpool

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez comes up against the newcomers Blackpool for the first time tomorrow since they opened his eyes to the task he faced restructuring the Latics.

Martinez sent a largely reserve team to Bloomfield Road in August last year for a Carling Cup second-round tie and saw them humiliated 4-1 by the then Championship club.

"We achieved our aims last season because of certain moments we had to suffer, and in the Carling Cup certain players showed they could not carry on playing for Wigan," he said. "Those lessons are painful but they give you a lot ... it is how you react and produce performances like we did further down the line.

"You don't like to get 'favours' in that manner because they are very painful but I was pleased with the lessons we learnt that night and how that pushed us to be the team we were at the end of the season. [But] it is a clear message of what Blackpool are capable of doing, they are very attacking and very brave. I don't expect them to change, so it should be an open encounter.

"It is the worst time to play Blackpool. We played Wolves [who were returning to the Premier League] in our first home game last season and we lost."