Neither Jordi Gomez or Adrian Lopez can be considered as fans' favourites, but both have put in performances to potentially change that.
First up was the match winning hat-trick served up by former Barcelona trainee Jordi Gomez. It is more than fair that I am not the Spaniard's biggest fan and disagree with Roberto Martinez's statement that Gomez does not hide. In fact I would so far as to say the opposite and that on many occasion Gomez has gone hiding.
Despite bearing witness to a usual frustrating first half performance from the Spaniard significant sections of the crowd were calling for his head, or at least a substitution, in favour of the much more favoured Argentinian, Franco Di Santo. Fifteen minutes later and Di Santo emerged to be put onto the field, but in place of the injured Maloney, and Gomez remained on the field.
The rest as they say is history. Martinez must have had some magic words for Gomez who went on to put in probably his best performance in a Wigan Athletic shirt in a half of football that culminated in the Spaniard netting a last minute winner as the icing on the cake to a perfect hat-trick.
It is a chicken and egg situation with Gomez. He knows there are supporters that find him frustrating and so he tries a little too hard to impress. This means that he often gives the ball away trying too ambitions a turn or flick, and then the boos start. It is to some extent a self fulfilling prophecy and Roberto Martinez is right, and the Reading game is testament, when he asks supporters to reserve judgement until after the final whistle.
That forty-five minutes alone will not be enough to change the opinion of those who consider Gomez too 'cultured' for Premier League football but if he can start to turn in improved performances, and Reading was an excellent start, then he will certainly be given the patience of supporters to stamp his authority on the game. Hopefully the hat-trick is the start of an improved Jordi Gomez.
It's also unfair to miss out our other Spanish superstar from the mid-week clash against the Champions. With Gary Caldwell, Ivan Ramis, and Antolin Alcaraz all out injured it is a bit of a understatement to say that we were stretched defensively. There was a notable gasp as Adrian Lopez entered the fray against Reading as Ramis hobbled off the pitch.
The gasp was a little louder on Wednesday evening as those punters filling in their betting slips noticed Lopez lining up in a make-shift back three with Boyce and Figueroa.
Again significant portions of the crowd were note the biggest of Lopez fans and had already consigned the defender to the Antonio Amaya stakes of Wigan careers. However perhaps the loudest gasp of all will have been at the final whistle when asked for a man of the match.
There were a number of impressive displays from fringe players but Adrian Lopez marshalled the defence with such aplomb, he looked like he had been there for years. Such a performance is impressive enough in the Premier League but to have defended so well against such an accomplished side as Manchester City has caused a big pause for reflection amongst supporters who doubted Lopez.
As with Gomez an isolated performance is a one off and will quickly be forgotten, but hopefully Lopez's display against City will be the start of things to come.