Titus Bramble is on the receiving end of praise from Wigan boss Steve Bruce, a state of affairs that has not always been the case. The former Newcastle defender has come in for criticism in the past following a number of high-profile mistakes.

Bruce said in the Daily Mirror: "I had to get after him at times, I dropped him and was constantly at him.

"We kept on at him about concentrating and keeping it simple. He's done that.

"You get better with age when you are a centre-half, you know where to stand and you're not as rash.

"Titus now looks the real deal everyone thought he could be. He's worked really hard."