Newport County boss Michael Flynn aims to spring a surprise on Oldham Athletic's Dino Maamria

Maamria worked alongside Flynn when he was assistant manager during Graham Westley’s reign in Newport and he’s previously suggested that his inside knowledge of the Exiles has given him the upper hand against County.

Speaking after Oldham’s 1-0 win at Rodney Parade in November, the Tunisian said: “I know Newport and their players pretty well and I knew what to expect from them.

“I know all their players inside out, and I know Flynny pretty well.”

But Flynn is determined to get the upper hand at Boundary Park.

“Them winning here earlier in the season means nothing,” said the Exiles boss.

“We were very poor in that game. It was a very scrappy game and we gave away a poor goal.

“I think it’s quite easy to say after a game, when you’ve beaten somebody, ‘I know them really well and we worked out what they do’.

“That’s quite easy to say. But it’s how different coaches work. I concentrate on my team – that’s the only thing I can affect.

“I don’t feel like we owe them one,” he added.

“I just want to win. I hate losing. I don’t like it. It spoils my weekend or my night, whatever it is. It spoils the next day.

“We need a win. We’ve got 13 games to go and it’d be nice to win a few of them. I want to finish on a high.”

The trip to Greater Manchester comes hot on the heels of Tuesday’s defeat at Grimsby Town and is followed by away games at Carlisle United, Stevenage, Crawley Town, Cheltenham Town and Salford next month.

“We’ve got some horrendous trips now,” said Flynn.

“It’s not ideal, but it is what it is.

“After Tuesday night, we got back at 4am and even I was like a zombie on the Wednesday. And I didn’t play, so you can imagine how the players felt.

“It’s a real long trip, but it’s what they’re paid to do and we’ve just got to get on with it and play the games."

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