Grant refuses to respond to SOS call from West Ham directors

West Ham's board have designated today's visit of Wigan as the "save our season game" but for Avram Grant, the club's under-pressure manager, it is just another fixture.

Or so he says. Vice-chairman Karren Brady has gone on the record saying that the former Chelsea manager will definitely be in charge come Christmas, and owners David Sullivan and David Gold have repeatedly offered the Israeli their backing.

Yet defeat at home to Roberto Martinez's side would surely be a catastrophe from which no manager could survive. Especially one who has presided over just one victory in the Premier League all season, and third-bottom Wigan will kick off five points ahead of their hosts and Wolves, the team in between the two.

"Look, we have a long way to go, even if we win," Grant said. "Nobody needs to tell us how important the game is. How people describe it will not change the fact we are playing at home against a good team and we need to do everything to win. If people say it is 'save our season' or not, for us it is less important."

Grant had to do without Scott Parker, his one consistent performer, at Liverpool last week but he is expected to return after a chest infection.