Michael Brown hailed a "battling performance" as Wigan gained a vital point in their relegation battle with a 0-0 draw at Manchester City.There were few clear-cut chances in a dour game with Benjani wasting City's two best chances and it meant Sven-Goran Eriksson's side have now gone six Premier League matches without a victory at Eastlands.

The result sees City go level on points and goal difference with seventh-placed Blackburn while Wigan leapfrog Sunderland into 14th, just one point and one place behind free-falling Newcastle.

Brown - who also played for City at the start of his career - told Setanta Sports One: "They've come here not to get beaten away from home.

"It was a good point for us, especially with the results today.

"We just keep pushing and battling away and try to get the points that will keep us safe.

"Everybody down there up to Middlesbrough is looking over their shoulders.

"It was a battling performance from the boys, better than we have been away from home."

The former Sheffield United player also paid tribute to Honduras defender Wilson Palacios.

Brown added: "Palacios has done fantastic. He is a powerful boy and you saw there was a great chance at the end for him to win it."

City boss Eriksson was frustrated after his side failed to break Latics down but managed to find positives in their performance.

He said: "I had hoped for a better result but it's difficult to break Wigan down - we tried for the whole 90 minutes.

"They are very organised and (Emile) Heskey played very well for them.

"It was not the best of football games. If we had scored a goal it would have been much better for an open game but they are very good at defending with eight or nine men behind the ball.

"Of course we are concerned we can't score goals or break Wigan down but the spirit and the attitude is very good."

Wigan manager Steve Bruce believed his team had carried out their game plan although he claimed they could have been celebrating a victory.

Bruce said: "When you are playing against a team who are up for Europe you have got be astute.

"We'll always take a point but I think we should have won it towards the end - we had a couple of outstanding chances.

"I am pleased we have got something today with all the results coming in. We are all having a look at each other and looking at the fixture lists.

"It's encouraging - I've been encouraged since I walked through the door."

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