MALKY Mackay believes he is close to solving Wigan Athletic’s home riddle.

The Latics are without a win in their last 16 attempts at the DW Stadium going into this afternoon’s derby with Wanderers and are six points from safety in the Championship’s bottom three.

But their manager Mackay remains adamant that performances have been better than results suggest and that the elusive victory is not far away.

Time is running out for Wigan, who are eager to avoid a return to the third tier of English football for the first time since 2003.

The Scot refuses, however, to place victory over his local rivals above any of the other eight remaining games of the season.

“We need to win eight games,” said Mackay. “It's not just us against Bolton – we need to win eight games.

“I think the group we've got now are more athletic, more aggressive, and looking like a team that can compete in this division.

“Our guys are trying, it's just that extra clinical finishing (which we are lacking)

“People talk about our home record, we've not been playing badly at home – look at the stats, look at the attempts – 19 attempts on goal against Leeds – so that's not a team desperately short of confidence playing at home.

“It's small margins.

“I'm more comfortable with the team I'm putting out on the pitch right now, in terms of what I will get from them.”