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Edman: January arrival

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Teams

• Wigan Athletic

Players

• Marcus Bent
• Marlon King
• More Players Emile Heskey Antoine Sibierski Erik Edman Julius Aghahowa

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Erik Edman could be handed his Wigan debut against fellow Premier League strugglers Derby on Saturday.

The full-back arrived at the JJB during the January transfer window but picked up a calf strain in training soon after completing his switch from French side Rennes.

Now back to full fitness Steve Bruce is hoping that the return of the Swedish international will allow him to move Kevin Kilbane to his favoured position on the left-wing.

Options

"Killa has done fantastically well at left-back but I'd love to push him one place up the pitch," Bruce told the Wigan Evening Post.

"Erik was very unfortunate to suffer his injury so soon after he joined, so it will be nice to have him available for action."

The home game against the Rams represents an ideal opportunity for the Latics to try and put some distance between themselves and the drop zone, and Bruce feels that it is the array of striking talent available to him which will help to ensure the club beats the drop.

With Emile Heskey, Julius Aghahowa, Antoine Sibierski, Marcus Bent and Marlon King all vying for two places in the starting XI, Wigan certainly have an abundance of firepower.

Mistake

"At the top end of the pitch, we have got better players than some of the other teams around us," he said.

"We've got to try to make that count over the coming weeks by getting them into good positions and make sure they take their chances.

"Of the five strikers, I can only play two at once.

"I've already said I made a mistake by trying to play three at Middlesbrough a few weeks ago.

Opinions

"Most people would pick Heskey, and then it's a case of one to play alongside him.

"Football is about opinion and it's my job to make sure I choose the right player to partner Heskey.

"It was Marcus Bent until recently but I just thought his form had dipped a little bit so I went for Marlon King in the games against West Ham and Sunderland."