Wigan manager Steve Bruce has revealed Emile Heskey has been examined under a specialist in order to get try and get rid of his injury problems.

The English international has been suffering with a back problem for the last few weeks and is bearing the pain while playing for his club, while Heskey recently felt forced to withdraw from the England squad against Switzerland in the international friendly at Wembley due to the injury.

Bruce has his fingers crossed on Heskey’s return to complete fitness as he feels the 30-year old is the key to the Latic’s survival in the Premiership.

"We need all our big players, especially Emile, fully fit and firing between now and the end of the season," Bruce told the Manchester Evening News.

"It's been a bit of a vicious circle for him of late because he's been managing to play but then he's not been able to train for three or four days.

"We've let a specialist have a look at him.

"I can't stress the importance for the need for him to stay fit and perform because he is such a vital and influential player.