WIGAN 0, STOKE 0

EMILE HESKEY looks to be out of next week's England friendly with Germany after missing the final 33 minutes of this bore draw with a hamstring strain.

Just like last year, when the burly No 9 fractured a metatarsal to wreck a blossoming partnership with Michael Owen, Heskey's new - but already tried and trusted - pairing with Wayne Rooney is likely to be broken in Berlin though injury.

The big man first crashed to the ground after 18 minutes under a challenge from Ryan Shawcross, fresh from his controversial showdown with Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor last week.

Heskey took a couple of other knocks but probably sealed his fate with a twisting, diving header just before being replaced by Henri Camara.

Wigan boss Steve Bruce immediately warned England's Fabio Capello about Heskey's situation.

He said: "Emile has had a bit of a bad back, which we think is hamstring-related - and we must see what the physios think about this one.

"But I would think, even at this early stage, Heskey would be a doubt for England."

Stoke lived up to their 'dogs of war' image by fighting among themselves.

And five-goal top-scorer Ricardo Fuller could find himself in trouble with the FA for an obscene gesture to home fans.

Gesture

At one stage in the second half, sub Dave Kitson rowed with defender Abdoulaye Faye. After joining in, Shawcross was shoved by Faye for his trouble - then Salif Diao had a go at Faye.

Then, having been booked for an aerial challenge on Mario Melchot, Fuller appeared to rub the middle finger of his right hand up and down the side of his head in response to stick from Wigan fans.

If the television cameras picked that one up, Fuller could find himself in hot water with the FA for such an open display of dissent.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis said: "I didn't see the gesture but the fourth official did mention something. Let me see it first before I comment."

Of the in-fighting, Pulis added: "I don't speak Senegalese so I don't know what Adboulaye was saying - but that will teach Ryan to put his arm around him!

"Seriously, there are no big problems within this team and they were all sitting happily together in the dressing room afterwards."

Tough

All in all, this was a brave point taken by Stoke. After first beating Arsenal, and then suffering the furore of Arsene Wenger's attack on Rory Delap and Shawcross for last week's tough tackling, they might have been on the back foot.

Wigan deserved to win for their greater possession and decent shot tally - but the Potters stood firm admirably in the face of heavy fire.

Stoke keeper Thomas Sorensen excelled with saves from Amr Zaki, Wilson Palacios, Titus Bramble and Jason Koumas, while Heskey and Zaki both headed over.

Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland stopped a 56th-minute Shawcross header from a Seyi Olofinjana cross and Fuller gave the home defence a tough time but could not break through it.

And, once again, poor old Kitson is still to score for his new club after leaving Reading in the summer.

He might be thinking it is never going to come.

Powerful

But if Kitson's mind stays as resolute as those of his colleagues, the tide must surely turn soon.

Bruce, himself ready to launch a £3million bid for Lokomotiv Moscow's Bosnian defender Emir Spahic, has every sympathy for Pulis and his men, having fought for his life in the Premier League with Birmingham after bringing them up from the Championship.

The Latics chief said: "I know how difficult it is and Tony will do it his way.

"Whatever else you say about Stoke, it is flaming hard to play against them.

"Look how Wimbledon repeatedly finished in the top 10. Stoke, too, are big, strong and powerful.

"We were a team trying to win the game but, for our real quality players - Koumas, Palacios and Zaki - it just wasn't their day."

Sadly, this is fast becoming the Wigan mantra.

They squeezed a 2-1 win at Portsmouth last weekend but, overall, their goal tally just does not reflect their possession, even with the prolific Egyptian hitman Zaki on the job.

They really should have found a way past Danish keeper Sorensen yesterday - but came up short.

And their problems will scarcely improve if Heskey misses a few games.

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