Wigan Athletic boss Steve Bruce is ready to field new signing Marlon King tonight against Middlesbrough.

"I always say that you're only as good as your strikers," he said. "Your strikers are what win you a match, keep you in a division or win you a cup - that's why they cost the most money.

"Probably the reason I'm in the chair instead of poor Chris Hutchings is because he lost Emile Heskey for two or three months, and if a club like Wigan loses a big player like that, they're hard to replace.

"If that situation does arise again we've got someone like Marlon King in the building and that helps.

"I didn't think Aidy (Boothroyd) would let him out with Watford sitting second in the Championship but I hope he can come in and do what he's done for them, which is score a lot of goals.

"I have to protect the boy too from this nonsense coming out of Fulham about medicals," Bruce added.

"We all know he hurt his knee 18 months ago but as far as we're concerned, he's perfectly OK."