Wigan manager Steve Bruce has warned Middlesbrough that the Latics have set their sights on dragging them into the relegation mire tomorrow night.
The Latics have spent most of the season battling to climb away from the Premier League drop zone and victory at Boro would propel them from fourth-bottom to 13th, one point above the Teessiders.
Although Wigan have lost their last two games against Everton and then Chelsea in the FA Cup at the weekend, they are unbeaten in their last four away games, winning at Derby on their last league trip and previously at Sunderland in the FA Cup.
Bruce is hopeful Wigan can continue that run at the Riverside Stadium and give themselves some breathing space heading into the business end of the season.
"We can go above Middlesbrough so make no mistake, they're in it with us," he said.
"All the bottom teams are playing each other so it is a big, big night.
"But anybody will be looking at their next two games thinking 'can we get back-to-back wins?' If you can do that at this time of the season, it gives you a huge boost.
"If we had won last week against Everton we would have gone up to 13th and six weeks ago we were 19th, only two points ahead of Derby and in danger of being cut adrift.
"We needed to address the situation quickly and the players have responded to the challenge. We were a bit unfortunate against Chelsea and we took on Everton, who are in the top four, and were very unfortunate against them."
Wigan have also boosted their survival hopes with the capture of Marlon King in a £5million move from Watford.
The 27-year-old striker is set to make his debut at the Riverside having been ineligible for Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Chelsea, although Bruce is yet to decide whether King will start.
Wigan pounced for King after a move to Fulham fell through amid concerns over an old knee injury, but Bruce, who succeeded Chris Hutchings in November, insists his new striker is fighting fit and believes he will be a valuable addition to the squad.
"I always say that you're only as good as your strikers," he said.
"Your strikers are what win you a match, keep you in a division or win you a cup - that's why they cost the most money.
"Probably the reason I'm in the chair instead of poor Chris Hutchings is because he lost Emile Heskey for two or three months, and if a club like Wigan loses a big player like that, they're hard to replace.
"If that situation does arise again we've got someone like Marlon King in the building and that helps.
"I didn't think Aidy (Boothroyd) would let him out with Watford sitting second in the Championship but I hope he can come in and do what he's done for them, which is score a lot of goals.
"I have to protect the boy too from this nonsense coming out of Fulham about medicals," Bruce added.
"We all know he hurt his knee 18 months ago but as far as we're concerned, he's perfectly OK."
Erik Edman, Maynor Figueroa and Wilson Palacios have also arrived during the transfer window, and although Edman and Figueroa are in contention for their Wigan debut at Boro, Bruce insists he is in no hurry to bring his own players into the side.
"I've been very pleased with the current squad, especially away from home of late," he said.
"We've won our last two and drew one at Liverpool so I hope we can have the same performance at Middlesbrough on Tuesday night."
