Wigan Athletic boss on 'my biggest headache'

Midfielder Jordan Cousins appeared off the bench at Ipswich in midweek for his first run-out in four-and-a-half months.

He had been expected to miss the rest of the campaign after tearing a thigh muscle off the bone.

But his recovery has seen him bolster the squad at the perfect time - albeit adding to the manager's selection problems.

"It was fantastic to see Jordan back on the field," says Richardson.

"He's been ready for probably a few weeks now, and he's probably my biggest headache at the moment.

"You've two lads in midfield (Tom Naylor and Max Power) who've been doing really well.

"And all of a sudden you've got Jordan Cousins who's an absolutely outstanding player as well as being an absolutely outstanding person.

"His professionalism is second to none, which is why he was able to come back from injury ahead of schedule.

"It was no surprise to see how well he got back into the swing after being out so long.

"It didn't look like he'd been out at all."

Cousins’ last appearance for Latics was against Shrewsbury at the DW Stadium back on December 8.

He was only two games into a comeback from a hamstring injury suffered in the 4-0 victory at Bolton on October 16.

Prior to that, he’d been an ever-present in the league XI following his summer signing from Championship outfit Stoke City.