Kirkland in fitness race

Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland will be given until the last possible moment to prove his fitness ahead of tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League clash at Stoke.

Kirkland is a strong doubt after sustaining a recurrence of a back spasm in the first half of last week’s defeat to Birmingham. Mike Pollitt and Richard Kingson are on standby to deputise.

Manager Roberto Martinez is forced into one definite change as Hendry Thomas serves a one-match ban, with Jordi Gomez the player most likely to step into the breach.

Team (from): Kirkland, Edman, Bramble, Scharner, Melchiot, Figueroa, Boyce, N’Zogbia, Diame, Scotland, Koumas, Sinclair, Cho, Rodallega, Amaya, De Ridder, Gomez, McCarthy, Kingson, Pollitt.