Defender urges team to show same attitude against Burnley on Saturday

After Tuesday night's brave performance against Aston Villa Gary Caldwell hopes the team can take their fearless attitude into this weekend's massive league clash with Burnley.

The centre-half is confident if Latics approach the game in the same manner as their last two home outings the points will be there for them, but it's that frame of mind they must get right;

"When you look at the fixtures this was always one that jumped out at you, it's a massive game for both clubs and we have to take the advantage of playing at home," said Caldwell.

"Physically and mentally we have to be ready for this because the result will go a long way to determining where we finish this season.

"Three points are there to be won but you have to go and earn them, Burnley are a good side who've struggled away from home but shown at Turf Moor how good they can be.

"We have to show the same desire we had late on against Villa, play without fear and play on the front foot. If we do that we'll get a positive result."

Caldwell was hoping to face his brother Stephen on Saturday but the Clarets defender appears to be ruled out through injury as he explained;

"There'll be a whole bus-load of my family coming down for the game from Scotland, but unfortunately it doesn't look as though my brother Stephen will be fit for the clash."

Reflecting on Tuesday night's defeat, and his first goal at the DW Stadium, Caldwell believes there are lessons and positives to take from the experience.

"It was a fantastic delivery from Charles for the equaliser and when a ball comes in like that you just have to get anything on it to help it in. It got us back in the game and at that point we looked really strong and as though we would get something out of it.

"After going a goal behind to an unfortunate error we did well to get ourselves back in the game and played some of our best stuff towards the end of the first-half.

"In the second 45-minutes the game could have gone either way really, their goal was sloppy on our part but they got the bit of luck they needed and we ended up getting beat.

"Once we were chasing the game I thought we had a real go at them, showed plenty of fight but couldn't find the breakthrough. The effort and desire was all there and we need that again against Burnley.

"We do need to improve our concentration at both ends, defending better at certain times and learning to take our chances when they come along.

"But you have to just take it on the chin and pick ourselves up for a massive game on Saturday.