Perks: Where there's a Will, there's a way

Grigg made his first start under new boss Warren Joyce against Newcastle in midweek after a month of frustration on the fringes.

He almost marked his comeback with a goal, a clever flick header in the second half flying inches past the far post with the Toon goalkeeper well beaten.

The 2-0 defeat was Wigan’s fifth game at home without a win – or even a goal – heading into this afternoon’s crunch clash with Ipswich.

But Perkins is backing Grigg – last season’s League One Golden Boot winner with 29 goals – to end both unwanted sequences against the Tractor Boys.

“With Will starting, I feel we’ve got a central point and a figure that we can play off,” Perkins told the Evening Post.

“He was a bit unlucky with the header against Newcastle, and there were a few cut-backs that on another day he might have been on the end of.

“But he’s shown last year that he knows where the goal is – and goals win you games.”

Latics go into today’s clash mired in the relegation zone in 23rd spot, four points adrift of the safety mark.

But Perkins says no-one in the camp is overly worrying about the league position so far – especially not him.

“Of course you do want to be able to look at that table when you come in and see us climbing that table,” the 34-year-old revealed.

“Personally I don’t actually look at the table – at the moment I’m not even looking at football to be honest!

“I’ve never been one for looking at league tables, even last year when we were flying.

“I knew we were top so there was no need to!”

Grigg is expected to keep his place in the side, with boss Warren Joyce having to contend with more injury problems to his already ‘imbalanced’ squad.

Luke Garbutt (back), Craig Morgan (groin) and Shaun MacDonald (thigh) all limped off against Newcastle in midweek, although all will be given every chance to prove their fitness.

“It’s a quick turnaround, and we’ll have to look at that in the morning,” said Joyce.

“With there being such a short period of time between games, we won’t really know until just before kick-off.”

Nick Powell (hamstring) is definitely out along with Reece Burke (hip), who has returned to parent club West Ham for treatment, and long-term absentees Alex Gilbey (ankle), Donervon Daniels (knee) and Reece James (foot).