Kevin Davies targets home comforts (From Leigh Journal)

Kevin Davies targets home comforts

8:00am Friday 12th March 2010 in

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KEVIN Davies feels Wanderers’ Premier League future will probably be decided at the Reebok.

Wigan provide the first of five remaining home games this season, followed by the visit of Manchester United, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and Birmingham.

Wanderers are undefeated in their last five games on their own turf, and with Owen Coyle demanding that the record is stretched until the end of the season, Davies admits there is pressure on the outcome of Saturday's local derby.

“The result against Sunderland puts a little bit more on us,” he said.

“All the teams down there are targeting their home games. We feel that as well. Man United is going to be the most difficult one but we feel they are all winnable games — and we will give United a good game.

“We will try and pick up some points away from home, but results at the Reebok are going to be very important.”

The midweek setback against Sunderland has taken some of the shine off Wanderers’ sprint out of the bottom three in recent weeks.

Victories over Wolves and West Ham put some distance between themselves and the relegation issue but the 4-0 defeat at the Stadium of Light has been a reality check.

Davies denies that Wanderers might have subconsciously eased up against a side that had not won in 14 league games prior to Tuesday night — but agrees that the result does bring the Wigan clash into sharper focus.

“The manager keeps stressing we have to be on top of our game and firing at 100 per cent to win games in this league,” he said. “We weren’t at it from the start against Sunderland.

“But if we beat Wigan, that will be three wins out of four and that would be massive.

“We got ourselves a bit of breathing space by beating Wolves and West Ham but we can’t sit back on that.

“Wherever you find yourself in the league back-to-back wins can really lift you up the table, especially in the relegation zone. It shifted us up four or five places and puts the pressure on the other teams.

“Playing in the bottom three is a pressure; no matter what you say. It was important to get out of there.”