Although it was a certain Colombian who grabbed the headlines after Saturday's win at Burnley, Latics fans will no doubt have been toasting the team's other goal-scorer that afternoon - Emmerson Boyce.

Just when it seemed the home side were going to get back in the game, up stepped the centre-half to score a vital goal and tie up all three points, a 'clinical finish' as he put it.

"The manager is always telling us that set-pieces are important for us, and as a defender you go up there and always hope to score a goal, said Boyce.

"I made a good run, the ball found its way to me, and as I've told the rest of boys - it was a clinical finish.

"We knew we had to come here and be solid from the off.

"Burnley is a tough place to go, and it's shown by the quality of the players they have and the teams they have upset already this season.

"To lose a goal so early was very disappointing but we showed great character to come back and get three goals.

"Luckily for us we got the goals at the right times, we passed the ball around with confidence and we had to mix it up as well because Burnley is a tough place to go and get a result.

"You can play all the football you want to but if you're not prepared to fight then it's going to be a difficult game.

"We learned from the mistakes we made in the Hull game, when we had all the ball but we lost the game.

"Burnley were set up more or less the same way as Hull and, although it was disappointing to go behind so early, we showed great character to come back.

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Next up for Latics is Portsmouth away on Saturday, a game Boyce has identified as crucial if the team are to fulfil their potential this season.

"These are the important games for us. It's nice for the players and the supporters to get results against the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City.

"But we need to beat teams like Portsmouth and Burnley because they are the teams who are going to be around us in the table.

"If we get a good result against someone like Chelsea and then lose at somewhere like Burnley, it's going to be a difficult season for us.

"Luckily we showed our character in backing up and getting a result at Burnley and we'll be looking for the same at Portsmouth."