Table does Latics '˜no justice' - Connolly

Callum Connolly is backing Wigan Athletic to drag themselves out of the '˜false position' they find themselves in near the bottom of the Championship table.
Callum ConnollyCallum Connolly
Callum Connolly

The 19-year-old on-loan Everton right-back marked his debut at the weekend with a brace as second-bottom Latics reduced the gap on fourth-bottom Burton to just three points with 20 games to go.

And he says if Latics can maintain the standards they showed at the Pirelli Stadium, they will continue to put their skids on their rivals.

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“Anyone could see Wigan are a good side, having won promotion last season,” said Connolly. “And I don’t think the league table at the moment does them justice.

“We should be higher up, but that’s the Championship - games can go either way.”

Connolly also revealed the hand a former Latics boss has played in his rise to the top.

Having only met up with the squad on the eve of Saturday’s game, Connolly two goals were the difference between the top two sides in League One last term.

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And he revealed the huge debt of gratitude he owes to a certain Roberto Martinez, who handed him his Premier League debut for the Toffees last term.

“I thought he was a great manager to work under,” added Connolly. “He gave me my debut for Everton, and I can only thank him for that.

“I just want to kick on now and show Wigan what I can do.”

Meanwhile, Latics are believed to be close to confirming the capture of former Galatasaray midfielder Jem Karacan.

The 27-year-old, who was born in London but has represented Turkey at every level from Under-17s to Under-21s through his Turkish father, has previously played in England for Reading, Bournemouth and Millwall.

He joined Galatasaray in the summer of 2015 but was released last week, and is understood to be close to joining Latics’ survival bid.