Sport
Drogba: Will he stay or will he go?
And while Villas-Boas has no new injuries to contend with, he conceded Michael Essien, absent all season with a knee injury, is still a month away from full fitness and expects the Ghana international to miss the African Cup of Nations.
“We’re looking at mid-January, that’s the best we can think about. There was a setback at the beginning of December if I’m not wrong which took him back 10 days and that’s extended into January, so I don’t think he will go to the African Cup of Nations,” the manager said.
Wigan have been lifted by the victory at West Bromwich Albion that moved them out of the bottom three and revived hopes they can escape relegation.
Like Villas-Boas, Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has also been forced to deny reports his main striker could quit the club in January.
Hugo Rodallega is also out of contract next summer but Martinez said: “Hugo Rodallega is a professional and has been a very important member of this football club. He still is.
“He has had a stop-start season and we were fortunate his injury at Everton was not as bad as we feared.
“Now it is a matter of getting back to his best. There is no hidden agenda or anything complicated.”
Copyright 2011. AFP
