Wigan Athletic boss 'up for the fight ahead'

Thursday night's 4-1 home defeat - on the back of a hiding by the same score at Middlesbrough on Boxing Day - saw Latics slip to the foot of the table heading into the New Year..

Latics welcome 2023 with the visit of Hull on Monday before the FA Cup takes centre stage.

It's been a tough baptism of fire for Toure – one point from his first four matches - since succeeding Leam Richardson.

But not a challenge the man himself had underestimated.

"I would say I was expecting it to be tough," he said.

"Before I joined the club, I knew the games ahead would be tough.

"I knew how tough the Championship is, how every single team competes for every point.

"But I like challenges.

"Some people don't like challenges - I like challenges.

"And I am not scared of the challenges ahead.

"I am a fighter and I will keep on fighting.

"It will be tough, but we have plenty more games to come.

"We are giving everything we've got, the boys are working really hard, and it's our job to find a solution, to try to get out of the relegation zone."

Latics can climb out of the drop zone with victory over fourth-bottom Hull at the DW.

"That is a very big game for us," acknowledged Toure.

"We'll recover the players, make sure we get ready for that game.

"It's going to be an intense game, two teams that want to play football.

"The best will win, and hopefully that will be us."