Wigan boss Roberto Martinez insists the current injury crisis will not affect his plans for next month's transfer window. Midfielder James McCarthy (ankle) and forward Victor Moses (shoulder) are both sidelined until February with striker Franco Di Santo's ankle problem likely to keep him out for a few weeks.
Captain Gary Caldwell, who had surgery to rectify hip problems in the summer, has also been out since November 13 with a thigh injury.
"I don't see it as a major concern," he said.
"We are only looking at long-term injuries - Victor Moses and James McCarthy - and I still believe they will have a massive say in our future and they will be back in February.
"I don't think it will have a big say in terms of the needs in January.
"As long as we don't get any complications I am counting on them to have a massive say.
"Victor Moses we are very positive about. He had the operation on Monday and everything has been really good but we know it is going to be the best part of three months for him to fully recover.
"He will come back with no problems and I expect him to come back earlier than we expected."
The extent of Di Santo's problem has yet to be discovered but having played with it for two months the club felt it was time to have it looked into and he saw a specialist in London on Wednesday.
"It is all too easy as a player to have an excuse but Franco has not once publicly mentioned he has been suffering with an ankle problem since the Newcastle game (on October 16)," added Martinez.
"We have been trying to manage it on a day-to-day basis and get him through the pain barrier and he has done that for the team.
"We are in a position now where we have to find a real solution because it is unfair on Franco that he cannot enjoy his football and does not have the free movement on the pitch.
"I am sure we are going to get to the end of the problem and make sure we correct it over the next few days."
"We have been working hard to identify players who will make us stronger in the second half of the campaign and I think the January window will have a positive outlook whatever happens," added the Spaniard.
"I think the January window is completely different [to the summer]; it is going to bring some instability in certain cases but it is not the same.
"There will be some movement but I think January will be quiet for everyone.
"We are going to use it to try to strengthen the squad and help the players here to have that little bit extra to finish the season as strongly as we can.
"Individual situations are not important at the moment.
"We are focusing on trying to improve the squad and the fixtures in December and January, which we feel is the moment we need to get the rewards for the hard work we have put in over the last five months.
"That allows us to have the right frame of mind to be able to deal with both situations; the instability it may bring but the focus you have as a team."
