Boyce return bolsters back line

Last updated : 17 April 2007 By Paul Farrington

Emmerson Boyce: Vital

The former Crystal Palace defender joined Paul Jewell's men for £1.5 million in the summer and despite a slow start to his Wigan career, the athletic defender has established himself as a key member of the squad.

Richard Dunne was responsible for breaking Boyce's ribs in the 1-0 win over Manchester City at Eastlands just under two months ago, and despite being ruled out for the season, Boyce returned early on Sunday.

Tipped to be in the top three of the club's player of the season award, Boyce's return will inspire confidence for the testing run-in with difficult fixtures against Liverpool, West Ham, Middlesbrough and Sheffield United still to come.

His transition to centre back has forced former Palace team-mate Fitz Hall out of the starting eleven, but Boyce has been solid at centre back for the majority of the season.

The 26 year old's pace has more than compensated for the ageing legs of Arjan De Zeeuw and Matt Jackson, depending on which has partnered him this season. And such pace will no doubt come in useful for the final four games, with strikers such as Bellamy, Zamora and Yakubu to face.

Such a timely return is testament to the character of a defender who won the Crystal Palace player of the season award last term, and it could well the early return of Boyce that is the telling difference in the fight to survive in the Premiership.