Rookie boss Chris Hutchings is targeting a top-10 finish for Wigan in the Premier League this season.

Hutchings has set his sights high in the league wants and a spot in a major cup final ahead of the opening game of the Premier League against Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Hutchings said: "I am always confident and ambitious. It helps when you have a chairman (Dave Whelan) who backs you all the way.

"Nearly all the players I have gone for I have been lucky enough to get and we are probably stronger than we were last season.

"Certainly we do want a repeat of that campaign. We are better than that.

"We would rather have a scenario like our first year in the top flight where we reached the League Cup final and finished in the top 10.

"We have the squad to do that, players are now looking more favourably on Wigan than they once did.

"We want to share our ambition with them and I am convinced we will have a good season. Outside the top four there is not much to choose between the teams."