Heskey to start for Wigan

Steve Bruce will mark his first game as Wigan manager today by handing Emile Heskey a starting berth against Manchester City at the JJB Stadium.

Heskey made his re-appearance from a broken foot at Arsenal last week, but Bruce was quick to put his faith in a player he signed during his time from Birmingham.

Despite occupying a top four berth for most of the campaign so far, City have not won away from Eastlands since the opening day of the season.

The Blues have lost all four Premier League duels with their north-west neighbours and, with Elano and Emile Mpenza missing, Sven-Goran Eriksson has gone for Geovanni and Georgios Samaras, the latter man picked at the expense of £8m forgotten frontman Rolando Bianchi, who only makes the bench.