Defender insists players should take responsibility for Wigan Athletic slump

The Boxing Day home defeat to Derby was Latics' third in a row, with the side having managed only four shots on goal in the last four matches combined.

Maloney took full responsibility for the latest setback, for fielding a starting XI he acknowledged was too youthful against such experienced opposition.

Clare, though, insists the players must also take their share of the blame.

“I don’t think we were good enough in the first half," he said. “We started well, but like in recent weeks, we went a little bit off after the goal and allowed them to control the game, which we need to sort out soon.

“The second half was a better showing, where we competed more, but we didn't do enough to score if I'm honest.

"We probably deserved to lose the game, which is disappointing, but we have to look at it, work out what's going wrong at the moment, and put that right as quickly as possible.

“As players, we need to take responsibility. I know the manager will take responsibility, but we also need to take responsibility as well.”

Clare pointed to the second-half display as proof Latics can compete with the best when on their game.

“I’ve said many times that when we're at it, we can go toe to toe and be better than most teams in this league," he said. "I think we’ve got the ability in this squad, but we need to do it for 90 minutes.

"In the last few games, we’ve not done that, which is frustrating, because the effort and energy is there. I just think something is not quite right in what we're doing in certain little spells, and we're conceding goals during those spells, which we need to learn from."

Latics have the perfect opportunity to get back to winning ways on Friday when rock-bottom Carlisle visit the DW.

“We’ve got another big game on Friday, where we will be all guns blazing and trying to get three points," Clare added. “Carlisle are no mgs, they're a good side, which we saw away from home.

"We did a similar thing there, where we had a good half and a bad half, but we need a good 90 minutes if we’re going to come away with three points. They're scrapping for points as well, and we need to get away from where they are in the table.

“Like I said, the effort is definitely there, there’s just something slightly missing at the moment, which we will rectify, and we will try and do that as soon as possible.”

Having now played exactly half of their 46 league games, Latics lie in 19th position with 23 points – four clear of the drop zone ahead of Friday’s visit of Carlisle.

Without the eight-point deduction they were hit with last summer, however, they’d be up in 10th spot.