Wigan Athletic skipper Darikwa has eyes on No.1

They can also recover top spot in League One for the first time since mid-November – if leaders Wycombe don’t win at Morecambe.

And skipper Tendayi Darikwa admits returning to the summit would be a perfect way for Latics to embark on the second half of their league programme.

“It’s massive for us, absolutely,” he said. “From day one, we’ve never made any secret of where we want to be in the league.

“And regardless of the stage of the season, it’s a massive incentive for us, knowing we could go top if results go our way. You can’t ask for much more than being No.1 on the ladder.

“But at the same time, we’re not getting ahead of ourselves, because we know without a good performance, it won’t happen.”

Latics still have FOUR games in hand of Wycombe and third-placed Sunderland, and have played two fewer than fourth-placed Rotherham.

That’s given the league ladder a slightly skewed view, which the skipper acknowledges has been something else to cope with.

“It’s obviously been a strange situation in which we’ve found ourselves,” said Darikwa, who assisted Will Keane’s killer second goal in Latics’ 2-0 victory at Gillingham last October.

“There’s been so many games to catch up on, and the schedule’s been disrupted far more than we’d have liked.

"I think anyone would rather have the points on the board than the games in hand.

“But you don’t get a choice in that. All we can do is keep chalking off the games in hand, and hopefully keep winning them.”