Wigan Athletic boss on coping with absentees, injury worries...and not worrying about MK Dons

James McClean's red card in stoppage-time against Fleetwood in midweek has triggered a three-game ban.

Earlier in the game, skipper Tendayi Darikwa and January recruit Graeme Shinnie had already collected their 10th cautions of the campaign earlier in the game - which carries an automatic two

match suspension.

All three will sit out Saturday's visit of Wimbledon and next weekend's crunch clash at third-placed MK Dons, with McClean also missing the trip to Crewe the following Tuesday.

And although Max Power and Callum Lang are also one booking short of double figures, Richardson is remaining pragmatic.

"Tendayi's hit 10 bookings, Graeme Shinnie the same, but that's why you have a squad," he said.

"That's why you have a number of players, keeping themselves fit, waiting to come in and maintain and even lift the levels in the team."

He also refuted the notion of leaving out either Power or Lang this weekend to protect their availability for the MK Dons showdown.

"Look, you can't pick and choose games you want to target," he said.

"When you start doing that, and you drop points, you end up with egg on your face.

"All you can do is make sure you're really respectful of every single opposition side, and every single point you pick up in this league.

"We'll just keep doing that, and fingers crossed we'll keep picking up points while keeping players out there on the field."

Richardson was boosted by the return of left-back Tom Pearce for the Under-23s in midweek, which should help cover the loss of Darikwa.

"We've Joe Bennett and Tom Pearce just back from injury to come in," he said.

"Both have worked tirelessly hard to get to where they are to help the cause.

"So they'll be eager and ready to come in and show what they can do.

"Luke Robinson has also had an ankle injury which he's been battling.

"But that shows the options we have at our disposal, and why we spent last summer and January working so hard at strengthening the squad.

"It's never been about the 11 on the field, it's about the 11 or more others in the squad who are underpinning the whole thing."

Richardson also provided an update on centre-back Jason Kerr, who walked away from the recent trip to Rotherham with a protective boot on his right foot.

"Jason is coming on fine," the Latics boss added. "He's being managed day by day by the medical staff.

"But there'll be no timescales, I don't like it when physios put timescales on players who are out.

"The players then hold them to it, even worse is when managers do the same, and it doesn't help anyone.

"All we can do is work with the group we have available, and keep them as fit and as ready as possible."