Steve Gohouri talked in the week of the importance of the game and how the Latics must win at all costs. As it happened, his fellow players took this on board, and despite very notable absenses through injury and suspension, the Latics left Wolves at the foot of the table.
Here is the reaction of those involved.
Roberto Martinez
It was important we knew how to play such an important game because we know even if you are trying to concentrate on your performance the significance of the points is always going to affect you.
I was extremely proud of the manner in which the players handled that and especially in the first half we were well-organised and we looked a threat in the last third so overall a very important performance away from home.
We need to see Tom enjoying his football and as you see he's getting better with every game and I'm sure that's going to be great for his development.
Tom is going to be an outstanding footballer but he's still a young man and he's going to get a lot of focus because he's English but for now he needs to focus on himself and the team and make sure he enjoys his time with Wigan Athletic.
Mick McCarthy
It was a stonewall penalty. Ward got goal side and he brought him down. Had the referee given it and had we scored it, it would have given them something to think about.
For the first eight minutes the game was going nowhere. We made two mistakes and got punished. Both were very poor goals to concede, we had the ball on both occasions. We didn't get started and that gave them the impetus.
Gary Caldwell
It's a big win. We knew this was a tough place to come but we knew we could win and it would make the table look better and we want to use this win and kick on from there.
We started with great intensity and passed the ball really well. We scored two great goals. But 2-0 is a funny scoreline and we managed to hold on in the end.
Every game's big at the minute. The games come thick and fast and you have to recover to be at your best physically and mentally and I'm sure we'll do that over the coming days and be ready for them.
The table
| Latest match Sunday, 26th December 2010 |
Pld | Home | Away | Overall | Pts | GD | |||||||||||||||||
| W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | |||||||||
| 1 | Manchester United | 17 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 38 | 16 | 37 | +22 | ||||
| 2 | Manchester City | 19 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 28 | 16 | 35 | +12 | ||||
| 3 | Arsenal | 17 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 34 | 19 | 32 | +15 | ||||
| 4 | Chelsea | 17 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 31 | 12 | 31 | +19 | ||||
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 18 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 27 | 23 | 30 | +4 | ||||
| 6 | Bolton Wanderers | 19 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 32 | 25 | 29 | +7 | ||||
| 7 | Sunderland | 19 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 21 | 20 | 27 | +1 | ||||
| 8 | Stoke City | 18 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 23 | 22 | 24 | +1 | ||||
| 9 | Newcastle United | 18 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 28 | 29 | 22 | -1 | ||||
| 10 | Liverpool | 17 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 21 | 22 | 22 | -1 | ||||
| 11 | Blackpool | 16 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 18 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 24 | 29 | 22 | -5 | ||||
| 12 | West Bromwich Albion | 18 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 21 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 24 | 31 | 22 | -7 | ||||
| 13 | Blackburn Rovers | 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 21 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 23 | 30 | 22 | -7 | ||||
| 14 | Everton | 18 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 20 | 21 | 21 | -1 | ||||
| 15 | Aston Villa | 18 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 20 | 30 | 20 | -10 | ||||
| 16 | Wigan Athletic | 18 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 29 | 19 | -14 | ||||
| 17 | Birmingham City | 17 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 17 | 20 | 18 | -3 | ||||
| 18 | Fulham | 18 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 16 | -6 | ||||
| 19 | West Ham United | 19 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 19 | 32 | 16 | -13 | ||||
| 20 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 18 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 19 | 32 | 15 | -13 | ||||
Next game
We're in the middle of the Christmas period of games and next up is the difficult visit of Arsenal to the DW Stadium on the 29th. Hopefully Chelsea will do their upmost to tire Arsene Wenger's men out.