Wigan Athletic ace Josh Windass says forget about the rest

Latics have a healthy five-point buffer to the bottom three heading into Saturday’s home game against Middlesbrough.

They then play their game in hand over the rest of their relegation rivals at Derby next Tuesday, before ending the week with a massive clash at fourth-bottom Reading.

If Latics can extend their unbeaten run, which currently stands at a seasonal-high four matches, they can take a huge step towards consolidating their position in the second tier.

And Windass says it’s vital to secure their safety as quickly as possible to avoid being dragged into the dogfight.

“I still don’t think the gap’s as much as we’d like it to be,” he told the Wigan Post.

“A couple of results that go against us, and the other teams pick up, and we’re straight back in it.

“We just need to stay focused on ourselves, not worry about other teams, and finish the season as well as we can.”

Before the recent upturn, Latics won only one of their 11 matches in December and January – a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa.

But Windass says the mood in the camp never dipped a fraction – thanks to the positive mindset at all levels of the club.

“We’ve got a good group of lads here, a staff that’s really upbeat, and I don’t think we’ve ever lost belief in what we’re doing,” the 25-year-old added.

“We’ve only ever been looking up rather than down, and I think that’s important.

“If you’re looking down all the time you lose belief in your own ability and that’s when you have a massive problem.”