Blackburn boss wary of 'very, very impressive...bit more direct' Wigan Athletic

Rovers can move into the play-off places if results go their way this weekend.

But he's wary of a Latics side who are top of the Championship form table - despite their relatively lowly league position.

“We’ve been on a journey with Wigan for the last three years," he said. "Down to League One, then back to the Championship, and then have managed to consolidate.

“We know how good they are, we know Cooky has good teams and that’s going to be a tough ask for us.

“Cooky is a great guy, a great manager, with a love of football and their recent form is very, very impressive, probably top of the form guide.

“Never mind Leeds and West Brom, they have won four and drawn one of their last five without conceding.

“As a professional I don’t sit here and think Wigan and Barnsley are any less difficult than Leeds United and West Brom, who we also have coming up.

“I genuinely feel these are really tough football matches."

Lancashire rivals Preston are the only team to beat Latics in their last 10 outings - at the beginning of February - and Mowbray is taking nothing for granted.

“I think people, who don’t live their lives doing what we do, look at tables and think ‘they will beat them and beat them’," he added.

"We can beat them, but we can also lose to them, as we have over recent years.

“I don’t look too far ahead, we’ll go to Wigan and give them a tough game I’m sure, but we know they’ll do the same to us.

“Are they the top form team in the league? My analysts are telling me no goals conceded in five, four wins and a draw, that’s the evidence.

“I’ve watched their last home game to Luton, 0-0, but I know enough about Paul and how his team operates, they have a lot of good footballers.

“They had a way of playing, changed it, went back to what they’re good at, and now they’re playing a bit more direct again.

“They have big Kieffer Moore up top and they’re getting results.

“We have to be very mindful of that, they haven’t conceded in five games and won four of them so it’s a tough game for us."