Wigan Athletic have left me in a 'difficult spot', admits Burnley boss Vincent Kompany

Latics travel to Turf Moor looking to cause a speed bump for the Clarets' seemingly unstoppable charge towards the Premier League.

But they won't be turning up with autograph books, with only 11 games to try to overturn a six-point gap to safety at the bottom.

Kompany believes Latics are a team that is still 'alive' in the dogfight, following the appointment of Maloney.

The duo, of course, worked together with the Belgium team in recent years under Roberto Martinez - but that's not the only Wigan link to Kompany.

"I'm in a bit of a difficult spot on this one, because the manager before him (Kolo Toure) was also a friend of mine!" said Kompany, of his former Manchester City team-mate.

"So I would've liked Wigan to have initially held on to a talented young coach, but I have a lot of time for Shaun.

"He's a very likable character, and a very important member of staff under Roberto Martinez, when we played in the World Cup semi-final.

"Roberto gave him an important role, but he's diligent, he's someone that works on detail, and he was in a good environment to start out as a coach.

"I know the level of detail Roberto used to go into before every game and the preparation he used to have.

"In terms of starting off his career he was definitely in the right environment to get himself up there.

"And it was his time to go on and make his own career."

Kompany believes Maloney and Latics are a perfect fit - regardless of his things pan out for the rest of this campaign.

"He has a history with the club and he will get them going, no matter what the outcome is this season," Kompany said.

"Having that link with Wigan before is maybe something extra at this moment in time.

"And you can see that he's got them organised and working hard.

"At the moment they don't concede a lot of shots, they don't concede a lot of chances, and I think creating is always something that comes with time.

"But they're giving themselves a chance in every game and that's the reason why this game isn't going to be easy.

"In the games I've watched of Wigan, you can see that they've got something to play for, they're putting up a fight.

"The game against West Brom was as close as it gets, and we know how tough a place it is to go there.

"That team is alive and, no matter the outcome of the season, it's a team with a lot of progression."

Not that he'll be keen to bring up the 2013 FA Cup final - when Latics famously beat City in one of the biggest shocks ever at Wembley.

"I've had the Wigan boys in my ear for as long as that," laughed Kompany, who also worked under former Wiganers Graeme Jones (assistant manager), Inaki Bergara (goalkeeping coach) and Richard Evans (head of sports science) with the Belgian side.

"Roberto obviously came to the national team, so it got mentioned a few times.

"You've got to use the pain to grow and that's what I did!"