Wigan Athletic breathe sigh of relief over Sam Tickle after injury scare

The 22-year-old returned home early from international duty with England Under-21s '‘for further medical assessment' – which sparked panic among the Latics fanbase.

With Latics having started the season in disappointing fashion - and only three points on the board from their four league matches played - the loss of last season's player of the year for any length of time would have been catastrophic.

However, Wigan Today understands the issue was ‘only’ a sore back, which caused him to pull out of a training session with England, following which the decision was taken for him to return to Wigan for assessment and treatment.

The 22-year-old, who made his debut for the Three Lions in a 7-0 victory over Luxembourg at Bolton last season, was hoping to win his second cap for his country.

It will be a boost for manager Shaun Maloney, who was reeling with the news Steven Sessegnon could be sidelined until the second half of October.

The 24-year-old utility man - who has been brought into the Leadership Group by boss Shaun Maloney, due to his influence in the dressing room following his arrival from Fulham last summer - pulled up lame in the latter stages of the 2-1 defeat at Birmingham at the end last month.

Latics paid a high price at the time for the injury, having to play much of the last quarter with 10 men after making all of their substitutes, which enabled Birmingham to force a stoppage-time winner.

And Maloney has suffered a double whammy with the injury being worse than initially feared.

"It's going to be four to six weeks with Steven," said the Latics boss. "It's a bit longer than we thought. so it's a real blow."

Straight after the Birmingham game, Maloney had underlined the influence of Sessegnon to the side - and his fears of an impending lay-off.

"He's such a brilliant player, who can play in both full-back positions as well as inside, which he did in the second half," said Maloney.

"And he was the difference in the first 25 minutes of the second half, he was the reason - alongside Matt Smith - we were on top.

"He enabled us to have two against one in the middle, and it was such bad luck he had to come off.

Youngster Jamers Carragher has started the last two games at right-back, and looks set for an extended run in the side in Sessegnon's absence.

Despite being a centre-back by trade, the 21-year-old was one of the very few plus points in the midweek defeat to Morecambe in the Bristol Rovers Street Motors Trophy.

"We've been using James in that position, and his effort, his mentality, his desire...these are all things that propel him to play a position that he's maybe not used to, but he just gives me everything," added Maloney.

"I've been really happy with Carra, even on Tuesday night he won the penalty, and he's done brilliantly for me this season."