Wigan Athletic ace on dangers of two-point 'advantage'

Latics return to action at fellow strugglers Huddersfield, looking to keep their heads above the relegation waters.

They currently enjoy a two-point buffer over the dreaded drop zone, with nine matches of the campaign still to be played.

But Byrne – one of Latics’ most experienced players – says they can’t afford to bank on that advantage, or rest on their laurels one bit.

“We can’t allow ourselves to be thinking about the table, and the gap that’s there at the moment,” he said.

“When you start looking at things like that, you can take your eyes off the ball, and we’re determined not to do that.

“All we’re concentrating on is trying to pick up where we left off, and getting as many points as we can. If we can do that, the league table will take care of itself.”

Team-mate Chey Dunkley – who is continuing to recover from a broken leg sustained at Reading in February – concurs.

“Of course we’re aware of where we are in the division,” he said. “We’re not totally oblivious to the table, because you can’t be.

“However, it all comes down to what we do in the last nine games.

“We are in control at the moment, and the challenge is to go on, game by game, and pick up enough points to stay up.

“Three wins could potentially see us to safety. But I’m sure the gaffer will be on at us to just keep playing as well as we can, and win as many games as we can, and see where we end up.

“Good form is a habit, and you want to stay in that habit as long as you can.

“You can’t be relying on other teams to lose, or to not bridge the gap that is there at the moment.”