Bolton Wanderers boss' fear ahead of 'biggest game of the season' at Wigan Athletic - 'You'll get embarrassed'

Schumacher, who assisted Ryan Lowe at Plymouth Argyle between 2019-21, before taking over as No.1 when his fellow Liverpudlian left for Preston North End, was speaking after Tuesday night's home defeat to League One strugglers Port Vale in the Vertu Trophy.

The loss extended Bolton's recent sequence to only one win in their last seven matches, which has seen them drop to sixth spot in the League One table.

With local pride also on the line this Saturday dinnertime (12.30pm kick-off), Schumacher is under no illusions as to the stakes at the Brick Community Stadium.

“I think we need to stay calm, and obviously the game at the weekend...I don't think it can be a better game," he said. "Because if you don't sort it out you'll get embarrassed in the biggest game of the season.

“We looked dangerous a couple of times (against Port Vale), but not enough, again, not what we were seeing four weeks ago. And I think it comes down to the individuals.

"We need to just get the ones firing who were playing really well for us and trying to figure out a way of getting confidence and belief back into the performances, because that's at the moment what we look like."

Schumacher has won both of the derbies since he and Lowe have been in charge of their respective clubs at the beginning of last year, which ended a 10-year Latics unbeaten run in the fixture.

“It is the best game that you can possibly have and for us it starts at the next training session," added Schumacher, speaking to Bolton’s official website. "We've got to make sure that we get the atmosphere right, get ourselves motivated and ready for it.

"It's the best game that you can probably have, because if you're not up for it, if you don't do all the basics properly, you won't get the result that we need.”