Bolton Wanderers boss ready for 'the best' of Wigan Athletic on derby day

But with the Trotters having lost ground at the top of League One after Saturday's 4-1 defeat at Blackpool, Evatt sees Tuesday night's visit to the DW as the ideal chance to get back on track.

He said: “Could we have defended better (at Blackpool)? Absolutely. Could we have played better? Absolutely.

"Should we have taken the chances we created when they are that clear cut? Absolutely.

“Let's just let go of the things we can't control. Of course, there are frustrations but we must focus on ourselves and our own performances and the things we can do better.

"There are a lot of things we can do better. We all know that and we will be trying to do that and put that right on Tuesday night.

“I said to the players if I could choose one game, personally, to have after Saturday it would be this one, so we have to go and play like that.

"That's what I would have been wanting and the players have to feel the same. We've spoken about it.

"With adversity comes opportunity and this game gives us a great opportunity to put right what happened on Saturday.

“There's no better game than that and we're looking forward to it. We know it's going to be tough.

"Wigan tend to save their best performances for when they play against us and we have to get there ourselves, get to that level and get to our level.

"And if we do, we know we have a great chance of winning the game.”

Latics are hoping for a repeat of their 4-0 victory in Horwich last August, against a Wanderers side whose last win over their neighbours was back in January 2015, when Zach Clough – who later became a Wigan player – scored the only goal of a third-round FA Cup tie.

“It's just important that we respond,” added Evatt on Bolton’s official website. “We obviously know this is a local derby, and with local derbies come emotion.

"We have to show that emotion and play with that emotion, but also show a calmness and the courage that we're going to take the ball in tight areas, because that's who we are and what we are as a team.

“Make sure we show unwavering belief in ourselves and take the game to them, and know we're the team that wants automatic promotion.

"With that almost has to come a swagger and an air of self-belief and confidence and, if we can show that, as well as the other side of the game, then we are capable of winning.

“The team I pick is a team I think we need to go to war with. It's one of those games where we're going to have to go through so many different emotions in 90 minutes to try and win.

“We have to have that fight and that spirit to match everything they can throw at us and then have the ability with the ball to hurt them when we get the chance to.

"There's no better game for us than to try and put things right after the weekend.”