Kirkland and Hall to miss run-in

Chris Kirkland (left) and Fitz Hall have been struggling with injury

Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland and centre-back Fitz Hall will miss their battle to avoid relegation.

Kirkland has undergone surgery for an injury to his right shoulder after two months out with a damaged thumb.

Hall injured his patella in a knee in the draw at Aston Villa and has also been ruled out for last few weeks of the Premiership campaign.

Wigan are just three points above the drop zone with four games left and face a tough trip to Liverpool this weekend.

England international Kirkland last played for the Latics in a 2-1 defeat at Arsenal on 11 February.

"He's had an operation on his shoulder, and will hopefully be fit for the start of next pre-season," said manager Paul Jewell.

"His thumb injury was taking longer than expected to heal, and he was always going to have shoulder surgery in the summer anyway.

"So because the thumb injury was going to keep him out, we decided to go ahead with the surgery earlier than we had planned."