Hughes: Wigan have suprised a lot of people

Mark Hughes: Latics are the suprise package

Rovers will be without the suspended Tugay in midfield, he was set to miss Thursday's clash with Sunderland, but that game was postponed.

Lucas Neill and Paul Dickov will return to the Rovers line-up after one game suspensions but captain, and former Latics target, Andy Todd is doubtful with a troublesome knee injury.

The Rovers are up to eleventh in the table and have matched the Latics for form over the last six games.

But manager Mark Hughes knows the game will be difficult with Jewell's men difficult to play against, and possessing two of the divisions most lethal strikers.

Hughes said: "They've surprised a lot of people this season and they've probably surprised themselves, too. No doubt they thought they would do well at this level, but to do as well is something I suspect they had not anticipated.

"But having seen them a couple of times this year, I'm not surprised to any great extent.

"That's all credit to Paul who has been an accomplished manager for many years now. He's managed at this level before and been a success at almost every club he has been with, so he knows what he's doing.

"He's got Wigan up there on merit. They are playing well, they have a fantastic work ethic, are well organised and they have strikers who are scoring goals. Along with the confidence they are gaining after each victory, that is some mix, which makes them a difficult side to face at the moment.

"That's why they are winning more games than they are losing, and that's nothing to do with the Premiership, that's a reflection on Wigan. They've understood very quickly what it takes to win games at this level, and they are reaping the benefits.

Robbie Savage: Jewell is the new O'Neill

"They've got a good work ethic, they work extremely hard for each other, and they've got a threat up front as well. In Jason Roberts and Henri Camara, they've got two forward players with power and pace and that has caused teams problems this season.

"And once they get their noses in front, they're a difficult side to break down."

While Robbie Savage, the Blackburn midfielder who sports a girls hair cut, has hailed Paul Jewell as the new Martin O'Neill.

Savage told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph: "The way Paul Jewell has got Wigan playing, it reminds me of what we achieved when Martin was the manager at Leicester.

"When I first went to Leicester, we didn't have any big stars - the team was mainly made up of players from other peoples' reserve sides. But what we did have was great team spirit and we all worked hard as a team, which led to us finishing eighth in the Premiership one season.

"Now Wigan seem to have that same work ethic and, to be fair to them, they've been incredible this season. For me, the way things are going, Paul Jewell has got to be the manager of the year - there's no question."

Wigan (probable): Pollitt, Chimbonda, Jackson, De Zeeuw, Teale, McCulloch, Bullard, Kavanagh, Camara, Roberts.

Blackburn (from): Friedel, Neill, Khizanishvili, Todd, Nelsen, Emerton, Savage, Kuqi, Dickov, Bellamy, Pedersen, Enckelman, Reid, Mokoena, Jansen, Gresko, Thompson, Matteo, Peter, Gray.

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