WIGAN Athletic boss Steve Bruce is sweating on the fitness and availability of England striker Emile Heskey ahead of the relegation clash at Sunderland.

Bruce rates Heskey's chances of playing at 50-50 after he aggravated a back injury in last week's win over West Ham.

Heskey pulled out of the England squad for the midweek clash with Switzerland and has only been able to do some light training.

In addition to Bruce's worries, fellow striker Marlon King was only scheduled to arrive back in the UK today having been on international duty in Jamaica and was likely to be jetlagged., while Mario Melchiot is a doubt with a thigh injury picked while playing for Holland.

Bruce said: "Tomorrow's game is a six-pointer and I can't believe that people can have internationals when games like this are coming up.

"We're all left to pick up the pieces and it leaves me baffled - do we really get anything out of friendly games?"

Wigan recently won 3-0 at the Stadium of Light in the FA Cup but Bruce believes that result will have no bearing on tomorrow's rematch.

He added: "I wish the 3-0 game had been a league match, there's still too much to play for before we start labelling tomorrow's game as a must-win match, it's important but it's not crucial.

Chance

"We have at least given ourselves a chance and are in the pack but I'm sure the same kind of return from the next 13 games will see us stay up. But we must remember we haven't done anything yet.

"I knew when I arrived at Wigan that they were underachieving and in need of a shake-up, we've possibly given them that spark.

"The strength of the squad certainly impressed me and the big thing for a manager is to quickly have an impact. We've put some good results together and we have to keep going."

New signing Erik Hagen, the Norwegian international, was hoping to figure at the Stadium of Light tomorrow but is ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Hagen said: "I wanted to play and I hope to help Wigan stay up. Steve Bruce has certainly impressed me, he clearly cares about people and he knows if I'm not happy I will not play well.
"I am very happy, this is an excellent move for me and I am looking forward to playing for him."

Bruce has confirmed he is monitoring the progress Motherwell striker Ross McCormack.

The boss also confirmed that Celtic were the only club interested in midfielder Jason Koumas who scored in midweek for Wales and further pressed his claim for a place in Wigan's starting line-up tomorrow.

Koumas is admired by Bruce but he points out that earlier in the season, with Koumas in the side, Wigan were leaking around two goals per game.

Michael Brown and Wilson Palacios have since tightened up midfield and Koumas may well have to settle for a role on the bench despite his midweek heroics for his country.

Sunderland boss Roy Keane is facing a major midfield selection headache as he prepares for the game.

Liam Miller damaged a calf muscle on international duty with the Republic of Ireland in midweek and could be out of action until the end of the month, and with Kieran Richardson (hamstring), Dwight Yorke (calf) and Grant Leadbitter (broken toe) all out and new signing Andy Reid searching for match fitness, the manager’s resources will be severely stretched.

Dickson Etuhu has returned from Nigeria’s African Nations Cup campaign, but Danny Higginbotham (broken toe), Carlos Edwards (broken leg) and Ross Wallace (knee) remain on the sidelines.

Sunderland (from): Gordon, Ward, Fulop, Bardsley, McShane, Evans, Collins, Harte, Whitehead, Etuhu, O’Donovan, Jones, Waghorn, Murphy, Stokes, Chopra, Prica.

Wigan Athletic (from): Melchiot, Bramble, Scharner, Kilbane, Valencia, Brown, Palacios, Taylor, Bent, Heskey, King, Aghahowa, Boyce, Edman, Figueroa, Granqvist, Koumas, Olembe, Cotterill, Sibierski, Skoko, Pollitt.

Key opponent: Kenwyne Jones - Big striker has proved a real handful this season

Prediction: Sunderland 1 Wigan 1 - It should be a tight game but if Latics battle they can return with a point

Agree with the prediction? Have your say.

You can get 15/2 on Wigan winning 1-0. For this and more odds, click here.

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