De Zeeuw: We won't face drop

Arjan de Zeeuw is confident Wigan will avoid being dragged into a relegation battle this season.

The Latics are just four points above the bottom three following a fourth successive home defeat on Saturday, and again in crushing circumstances.

Two goals from Emile Heskey enabled Wigan to claw their way back from a 2-0 deficit to reigning Premiership champions Chelsea, only for Arjen Robben to score a stoppage-time winner.

Latics captain De Zeeuw admitted boss Paul Jewell “lost his rag a little” after the game, with the 43-year-old making it plain that his team are not mentally tough enough.

But De Zeeuw feels if Wigan continue to show the fight they did against Chelsea for the last hour of the game, they will be safe.

“We have to look past the result because I thought we played some tremendous stuff,” assessed De Zeeuw.

“Along with Manchester United, Chelsea are arguably the best team in the country, yet we pushed them all the way.

“It’s just that they have that little bit of quality. They did it to us in injury time last season, and it’s very annoying.

“That’s why the gaffer lost his rag a little bit because in that moment we didn’t do the basic things. I guess people will now look at us and say ’Wigan are heading towards the relegation zone’, but if we play like that we’ve no worries.

“We just have to be able to repeat it because I think we showed people we can play football.”

Wigan must now pick themselves up for the daunting task of facing Manchester United at Old Trafford on St Stephen's Day.

Since Wigan were promoted to the Premiership they have suffered four defeats to United and conceded 13 goals, yet De Zeeuw is confident it will not all be one-way traffic.

“If we play anything like we did against Chelsea at Old Trafford then we are in with a shout,” insisted De Zeeuw.

“We certainly made an effort to win the game, and that’s how we will approach the one at Old Trafford.

“Again people will write us off, but after playing well against Chelsea we’re going there to win. We never go out to draw. That’s rubbish. We want to win and play with a positive attitude. We owe ourselves a result.”

De Zeeuw can at least appreciate why Jewell was so angry after the game on Saturday, particularly after watching them concede late on to Arsenal a fortnight ago, and to Chelsea and United last season.

“We run ourselves into the ground, but then we have these moments,” said De Zeeuw. “It’s something we definitely have to look at and try to prevent happening again.

“It’s why the gaffer was so disappointed because it’s these little things, against Arsenal, United and Chelsea, that have cost us points.”

Jewell has no new injury worries to contend with, but with seven players out, is unable to freshen up the side.

Henri Camara, Andy Webster, Antonio Valencia, Paul Scharner, Steve McMillan and Ryan Taylor are injured, while Lee McCulloch serves the second game of a three-match ban.