Vuckic: Continue the hard work and we will go up

The midfielder, who bagged Latics’ winning goal against Bradford on Saturday, says the squad is full of belief as it enters the business end of the season.

Automatic promotion remains on a knife-edge at the moment, with just goal difference separating Gary Caldwell’s side in second place and Walsall who are one place below them.

But Slovenian midfielder Vuckic reckons the quality players in the dressing room at Wigan are more than capable of making an immediate return to the Championship.

“Of course we can,” he said. “With the team we’ve got, we all believe we can be promoted. We can only beat ourselves if we get complacent and win a game easily.

“We just have to be focused and work hard on the training ground and on the pitch to get three points. If we keep doing that we will get promoted.

“We just have to go game by game and prepare ourselves for the next game and try to get three points. At the end of the season we will see where we stand.”

The Newcastle loanee, who recently became a dad for the first time, showed great composure to score his second goal of the season.

And with Burton Albion, Walsall and Millwall all winning, it was a huge victory for Latics.

“It was a very important three points,” he said. “We bounced back in winning ways after a few draws so it was a great win for us.

“They came here to defend. They were organised and worked hard with some counter attacks as well where they were dangerous.

“We managed the game well, we scored goals and controlled the game and defended well. I thought we deserved the three points.”

Vuckic’s goal will surely give his manager an additional selection headache ahead of this weekend’s double-header against Swindon and Rochdale.

The 23-year-old has struggled to hold down a starting place since arriving at the club but is hoping he can work his way into his manager’s starting XI.

He added: “When the gaffer gave me a chance I tried to do my maximum and show him I deserve to play.

“I did it, I scored a goal, the team played well. I just have to work hard in training.

“We’ll wait and see what happens now, I don’t want to say I deserve to be there.”