Wigan Athletic forward Kieffer Moore hopeful he can recover from calf injury and feature against old club Barnsley

The 27-year-old joined Latics from the newly promoted Championship side on August 5 – just after Paul Cook’s outfit had won their first game of the season 3-2 against Cardiff City.

But since his arrival they have not picked up any points and Saturday’s defeat at QPR was their fifth in a row.

Moore did not travel, having picked up a calf knock in the 1-0 loss at Middlesbrough last week.

But the forward is on the road to recovery and was back on the grass earlier this week.

And he is hoping to make his comeback against the club he netted 23 times for in a one-and-a-half season spell.

Latics forked out £3m to bring Moore to the DW Stadium and now he is hopeful of returning to the pitch on Saturday.

“I’m back on the grass, hopefully I will be back in time for Saturday,” said Moore.

“I’m not entirely sure yet. Hopefully I can play against my old team, I’d love that.”

Though the results have not fallen in Cook’s side’s favour Moore says he has settled in.

Speaking about his time so far he said: “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.

To get a little bit of a set-back so early is not ideal but it is not the end of the world.

“It is not a long term injury that will keep me out

forever, I just need to get my head down and keep my

fitness levels up.

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“I’m just getting my feet and my bearings around the place.

“I think I’ve learned a lot about how the team works and how everyone wants to play their football.

“I feel like I’ve settled in really well and it is a shame that I had to come off.”

Cook’s team let a 1-0 lead slide to lose 3-1 in London on Saturday.

But Moore backed this side to bounce back.

What is the atmosphere like?

He said: “I’d say it is positive.

“Maybe the second half (at QPR) wasn’t the best.

“Conceding three goals but I don’t think that should affect you for the weeks coming.

“When you look at the fixtures we have got over the next three or four games they are all very winnable fixtures.

“We should not dwell on the past to move forward in the future.”

And Moore says the side need to cut out mistakes and the results will follow.

Speaking about the QPR defeat he said: “It was a shame after going 1-0 up so early on.

“It is football, it is the minor things that you can lose games by.

“We need to iron them out to start picking up results.

“These things happen in football, little blips, hopefully we have ours now and we will come through the tunnel.”