Source: Eurosport
Bruce: Toffees truly licked Latics
Wigan manager Steve Bruce admitted his side "had their backsides kicked" in the 4-0 Premier League defeat at Everton on Sunday.
And Bruce will now, no doubt, be planning something similar for his AWOL striker Amr Zaki, who has still not returned from last week's international duty with Egypt.
With this sort of internal problem, Bruce did not need to run into an in-form Everton, who cruised to victory and cemented sixth spot while cutting Arsenal's lead over them in fourth to seven points.
Bruce said: "We got our backsides kicked by a very good Everton side. I can make excuses that we had several players on planes for 24 hours coming back from halfway around the world, and jet-lagged.
"But it is right to say 'well done' to a very good Everton side who we could not cope with.
"They gave us a going over. Defensively we have been very good for the last few months, but we were nowhere near our best.
"Whatever we did it was too easy for Everton, all game. That is not like us because we pride ourselves in being difficult to beat but this time we were sadly lacking.
"I hope this type of performance is now not going to be the norm, because we still have a lot to play for.
"I will make sure we will be ready for it, after such a good season we do not want it to slip away now."
But first Bruce will have to sort out the Zaki problem, and he insists he will have showdown talks with the 26 year-old as soon as he returns to the UK.
