Wigan midfielder Michael Brown has hailed the impact new signing Wilson Palacios has had on the squad.Honduras winger Palacios joined the Latics in January and has made a good early impression on the Premier League strugglers.
Manager Steve Bruce was effusive in his praise for Palacios after last weekend's goalless draw at Manchester City and Brown also believes his arrival has lifted the club.
"He's great to play with because he can do just about everything," said Brown of the 23-year-old, who also had a loan spell under Bruce at Birmingham.
"He tackles, he heads, he has two good feet, great vision and touch and he has a fantastic attitude. He's also a good lad!
"He has looked so comfortable in the Premier League, and considering he's still finding his feet, you have to ask how good he can become."
Palacios was one of six new arrivals, including loans, in January as Bruce reacted to the team's lowly position in the league.
Bruce took charge in November and his methods have so far proved effective with 19 points coming from his first 14 games in charge.
Brown puts some of that down to the extra competition for places and added on the club's official website, www.wiganlatics.co.uk: "If you look around the team now, I don't think anyone's place is secure, in any position.
"We all understand that if we drop our performance levels, there's a very good player snapping at our heels to get in the team, which is the way it should be."
Wigan are up to 14th in the table but - just two points above the relegation zone - they remain far from safe.
Further problems also lie ahead with leaders Arsenal, fresh from a famous win over European champions AC Milan in midweek, the next visitors to the JJB Stadium on Sunday.
Brown said: "We go into the Arsenal game as underdogs, but I can promise you that everyone in the team on Sunday will step onto the pitch with the belief that we can win.
"We know we're playing a great team, but whatever happens, we want to make them know that they've been in a game."
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