‘Arsenal isn’t biggest match of my managerial career’ – Mark Robinson on Wimbledon’s EFL trip to Emirates

AFC Wimbledon head coach Mark Robinson insists that tonight’s EFL Cup third round tie at Arsenal is not the biggest game of his managerial career to date.

Robinson will make history this evening when he leads his side out at the Emirates for the Dons’ first appearance in the third round of the EFL Cup. Wimbledon made it through to this stage of the competition following wins against Charlton and Northampton Town.

Robinson told the South London Press: “The first game I took over against Wigan was the biggest one because if that didn’t go well, I might not be where I am now – that still remains the biggest game because I needed that to go well. But certainly, in terms of excitement, this will be the biggest one.”

Asked if the magnitude of Wednesday’s game epitomises the journey that he and the club had been on since he permanently took charge in February 2021, Robinson said: “Yeah, it’s 32 games now, and it feels like quite a long time. Probably if you asked me 32 games ago whether we would be going to the Emirates, I probably wouldn’t have believed it – but it’s good. The fact that we have never got this far in the competition shows how far we have come.”

Reflecting on the 1-0 defeat on Saturday to Plymouth, Robinson said: “Although we were disappointed with the loss, when you look at how they (Plymouth) reacted to winning, that wasn’t like a team that had won at Wimbledon who are predicted to go down, it felt like they had won at the Stadium of Light the way they were celebrating.

“It felt like they got a win against a very good side, and I think that our perception is changing now, which is a really good thing. We have got to make sure we keep that momentum going.”