Wigan Athletic boss Chris Hutchings believes Emile Heskey's England form can only benefit the Latics.

"Hopefully he will come back, as he should do and I know he will do, on a crest of a wave looking to score a few on Saturday," said the Wigan boss.

"There's no bigger thing than playing for your country. It's been two years since he last played. One or two doubted him but I had great belief in him and he has in himself.

"He just had to go out and play as he has done for Wigan and if he continues in that vein it will be great for Wigan and for England in the future.

"And it will be nice problem for Steve (McClaren) if (Peter) Crouch scores five or six goals, Emile scores five or six and Michael Owen does and Wayne Rooney comes back fit.

"As a manager you want those problems and I'm sure it's given Steve something to think about."

Hutchings added: "He's doing nothing different from what I know he can do and that's great testament to how we have started as a team, to get him into the England set-up, but most of all to Emile Heskey for the way he has conducted himself and gone about his business.

"I know the qualities he brings to this football club. He didn't have to prove anything to me. I have great faith in his ability. He has just gone out in the last two games and shown what he can do.

"He's come in for some unfair criticism. We know that he is not a 25 goal-a-season goal-scoring machine.

"Michael Owen does that, but it takes all sorts to make up the jig-saw and the assists he's had in the England set-up in the last couple of weeks have been vital to Michael Owen."