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Jack Whatmough believes this weekend's six-pointer against fellow strugglers Huddersfield Town will be his biggest game as a Wigan Athletic player.

The big centre-back was Latics' player of the year last term as the side scooped the League One title.

Wigan Athletic boss calls for fanfare amid 'fortress' hope

But he reckons Saturday's relegation dogfight against the Terriers will dwarf any of the occasions Latics faced last season as they fight to stay in the Championship.

Jack Whatmough believes this weekend's visit of Huddersfield is the biggest game since he arrived at Wigan Athletic

"I don't think it's overhyping it to suggest it's the biggest game since I came to Wigan," said Whatmough, who arrived from Portsmouth in the summer of 2021.

"And I've played in a lot of big games so far, when we were pushing for promotion last year.

"Once you've got into the Championship, you'll do anything you can to stay there.

"Everyone associated with the club is desperate to stay up, and it's just a massive game for both clubs.

"It's a game we have to be 100 per cent ready for, if we want to come out on the right side.

"We're under no illusions we need to start picking up points if we are to stay in this division, and hopefully that started at Blackburn on Monday night."

Whatmough has called on his colleagues to embrace the cup final feel rather than be daunted by it.

"You have to enjoy the pressure, otherwise you're in the wrong game," he said. "Every game you play, you're going to be put under pressure at some point.

"It's being able to enjoy the occasion you're going to be part of, and show why you deserve to be playing at this level.

"For me, there's even more pressure this year than last year, because everyone wants to play in the Championship and we worked so hard to get here.

"We were fighting to get up last year, whereas this time we've got something to lose - being in a division where this club deserves to be."

He also believes Latics possess the big-game players required to come out on top.

"You're looking for big characters and big players to step up, and that's exactly what we've got in this group," Whatmough added.

"If you look back to last year, when we were pushing for promotion, it took those big characters to come through and see us over the line.

"Trying to stay up this year, I don't think it's going to be anything different."

Huddersfield six-pointer is 'my biggest game here', insists Wigan Athletic star