Anxious wait for Wigan Athletic boss over skipper Jason Kerr ahead of Bolton Wanderers derby

The Scottish centre-back was a surprise absentee as Latics hammered Doncaster Rovers 3-0 at the Brick Community Stadium on Saturday.

Lowe did not want to say much about the situation after the game, but his concern over Kerr's fitness status was obvious.

"I don't know, we'll have to see," said Lowe. "He's got a bit of a knee problem, we'll see how he is.

"He'll probably get looked at tomorrow, but I have no real information at the moment.

"It was a late one, he was here with the lads, he's fine, he's walking around, so we'll monitor that and see what comes next."

With fellow centre-back James Carragher not due back from injury until the middle of October, the potential loss of Kerr for any length of time would come as a hammer blow - with Saturday's trip to Horwich looming on the horizon.

Steven Sessegnon - who looked set to leave Latics after being made available for transfer at the end of last season - deputised for Kerr against Doncaster.

"I thought Sess was excellent," enthused Lowe. "He's played left centre-half, right centre-half...in pre-season he played in the centre of a back three.

"Jensen (Weir) has also been training well, and he could have played right centre-half if we'd have gone that way.

"But that's why you have a squad, you have players waiting to come in, and they have to be ready to come in when called upon."

Having lost his only derby meeting to date, shortly after his arrival in March, Lowe is under no illusion as to the size of Saturday’s task.

"I know what it means to the fans, and I know what it means to the club and the town," he said.

"We'll have to put a game-plan together, and we'll have to play with fire in our bellies...but also with cool heads.

"That's the way it always is in a derby, and it's the next game so it's also the most important."

Latics are already without the suspended Christian Saydee, following his sending-off at Lincoln City earlier this month.