Division Two: Burnley v Wigan - Pete Oliver's match preview

WHILE Ian Wright's arrival at Burnley has made tomorrow's visit of Wigan Athletic to Turf Moor surely one of the most hyped Second Division games in history, there are still only three points at stake.

And although the Clarets will be significantly boosted by Wright's hunger for goals, they will have to correctly harness the euphoria that has followed his signing from Celtic to focus on the job in hand.

Promotion is the sole aim and beating third-placed Wigan, who are yet to lose away from home, would represent another significant step towards achieving that goal.

"The win at Bournemouth has put us in a very good position to lead us into the Wigan game," confirmed Graham Branch, one of the players looking to supply the ammunition for the former England striker. "We know the way we are playing, particularly at home, that we can beat anyone.

"So we need to beat Wigan to close the gap on those three top teams, which we are quite capable of doing."

Long-time leaders Wigan went through the first 21 games of the season unbeaten, but a run of five matches without a victory means they are only three points better off than the in-form Clarets.

"That just shows how well we've been doing. Wigan have only been beaten twice and, if we win, we are right back with them and it's all credit to the lads that we are hanging in there.

"There's a good togetherness with the lads. We had a very good time coming back on the coach from Bournemouth and it was brilliant to see all the lads smiling.

"That team spirit can only help results," Branch added. The arrival of Wright seems to have further lifted the players, who have welcomed his arrival and the shot in the arm he can give their promotion chances.

There will be a near sell-out crowd tomorrow and Branch has his fingers crossed that everything will point towards a 10th-straight home win.

"Hopefully we have caught them at just right the time. They got beat last week and hopefully they will get beat on Saturday.

"The crowd got behind us against Bristol Rovers and it was unbelievable. It was really good to play in front of that and I think it will be even better on Saturday," he added.

The captures of Wright and Ian Cox, added to impressive wins over Bristol Rovers and Bournemouth, will certainly have had the rest of Burnley's promotion rivals sitting up and taking notice, a point not lost on Branch.

He said: "Preston look very strong while Wigan are maybe going through a bad patch, touch wood they are.

"I think we are now starting to put a run together and we have beaten some good sides.

"So maybe it's our turn to start looking strong and have everyone looking over their shoulders and saying 'Burnley are doing very well and they're the team to beat at the moment.'"

Burnley's positive intent has certainly helped Branch, whose pace and attacking instincts have earned him the nod in the left wing-back role. "I've been disappointed about being left out for a couple of games. But I haven't said anything to the gaffer, I've just kept my head down, kept working hard and waited for my chance again.

"It's up to me now to keep the shirt, which hopefully I will," added the wideman, who will place friendships on hold as Stan Ternent's men look to step up the pace.

"I had a month at Wigan on loan when I had a lot of trouble at Tranmere. When we were there I had a few laughs, but that all finishes when you get on the pitch," he said.

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