Wigan Athletic boss Shaun Maloney says Derby County are a “brilliant club” and accepts they face a huge test in the League One curtain raiser.
Maloney brings his side to Pride Park tomorrow with Paul Warne’s side hoping to make a perfect start to their promotion push as they look to return to the second tier.
Wigan have it all to do this season if they are to challenge for a return to the Championship given they start the season on minus eight points.They were punished by the EFL after failing to pay their players on time, but they have since been taken over by local billionaire Mike Danson to give them a fresh start
But Maloney is under no illusion that they have been given one of their toughest assignments of the season against the Rams, a club for whom he has a great deal of respect.
Speaking ahead of the game, Maloney said: “They are a brilliant club, I love their history. They’ve got some really good technical players but if they want to go forward quickly they can hurt you in big spaces.
“It’s a big test but that’s what we’re here for.
“We’ve got some really good young players, and you just want to give them the confidence they can go and play at Derby this Saturday.”
Wigan are likely to be without Liam Shaw and Kell Watts while Sean Clare, a summer signing from Charlton Athletic, will also miss the trip to Pride Park.
“Liam and Kell were three or four weeks behind in pre-season- they’ve probably got a chance for Tuesday.
