ANDREW TAYLOR is hoping to be fit to face a former team-mate with a point to prove for the second week running when Boro meet Lee Cattermole's Wigan at the JJB Stadium.

Last Saturday West Brom's James Morrison produced two goal-line clearances to help his side to all three points at the Riverside and Taylor knows Catts will be just as keen to get one over Boro.

"The type of player he is and the mentality he's got, he'll want to come up against us and show us what we're missing and I'm sure there'll be a few tasty challenges going about," said Taylor, who is a doubt for the game with a hip flexor injury.

"Catts goes into every game with his heart on his sleeve and always gives 120 per cent."

Stockton-born Cattermole, who joined the Latics in the summer for £3.5m, is set to keep his place in Steve Bruce's starting line-up despite limping off with a knock late in their win over Manchester City at the weekend.

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Wigan were hugely impressing against big spending City, displaying a fantastic team ethic backed up by some fine individual skills.

"I've spoken to Catts when we've been with England U21s and he says what a good squad they've got," says Taylor. "I know he's going to say that to us because he's just left us but I think they're proving they've got strength in depth.

"They've got Zaki up front with Heskey and that's dangerous for any defence, then there's Valencia on the right-hand side and Catts and Palacios in the middle.

"Catts and Palacios don't let the midfielders have a second on the ball and that starts up front with Heskey and Zaki. The team are full of grafters and that's what we'll have to match on Saturday."

While it was a good weekend for Wigan, Boro suffered their fourth successive defeat and Taylor admits that despite team meetings to analyse the game, it's been difficult to put a finger on what went wrong against West Brom.

"It happens in football, there has been many a game where we've been under the cosh and won, this time we were the better team and didn't win but it will turn round," he said.

"Wigan have good players and we know it's going to be a hard game but it can't come quickly enough for us.

"We have to show we want it as much as them and then hopefully our ability and talent will come through."