Shaun Maloney reveals the defensive dilemma Wigan Athletic face ahead of home fixture against Cheltenham

The Latics currently sit 13th in the League One table but are just eight points ahead of 21st-placed Cheltenham, who have two games in hand.

After defender Sean Clare was handed a two-game suspension for receiving his tenth yellow card of the season in the 1-0 victory over Shrewsbury Town, Maloney has revealed that a change in system may be necessary.

He said: “With Sean Clare it’s tough. Steven Sessegnon is still a couple of weeks away, so we don’t have a player in that position really – no right-backs or right-wingbacks.

“So, we’ll have to figure that out and probably change what we’ve been doing recently. But that’s OK, these things happen.”

Sessegnon sustained an injury in the match with Peterborough United at the beginning of the month leaving Maloney with limited defensive options for Friday’s match.

The Scotsman also named two other players that may be unavailable to face Cheltenham this week.

Maloney said: “We’ll find out more this week, but I think Liam Shaw will still miss it. Charlie Goode is pretty close, so we’ll know a bit more tomorrow.”

Shaw, on loan from Celtic, suffered a calf injury while training the day before the trip to Peterborough.

Meanwhile, Brentford loanee Goode could return from the shoulder injury he sustained just 24 hours after joining the club in his debut against Wycombe Wanderers last month.