By Alan G
January 20 2006

Neil Mellor insists his move to Latics is simply a plan to force his way back into the Liverpool team by proving his worth and scoring goals for the Blues.

He told the Liverpool FC website: "I am looking forward to playing for Wigan and scoring goals again.

 

"I have a lot of admiration for Paul Jewell as he was in a similar position to me when he was at Liverpool and I can learn from him.
 
"I spoke to the manager Rafael Benitez before I came here to Wigan and he told me it would be good for me to go out on loan, score some goals and get fit. He told me I was fifth choice striker at Anfield and I would only be playing for the reserves so this is a great opportunity for me at Wigan.
 
"I don't see this move as meaning my career at Liverpool is over. I love the club and they have been really good to me. I just want to prove myself, show I can score goals at the top level and stay injury free. It's up to me to show what I can do.

 

"I have been feeling really good in training and it's the best I've felt for almost two years. Wigan are a good club and I know Stephane Henchoz well so hopefully I can get some games and score a lot of goals. I just love scoring goals and it has been frustrating being out injured for almost a year and I have missed that."

 

Mellor is eligible to play in the second leg of the League Cup at Highbury on Tuesday.

 

"It would be nice to get to a cup final but there's a lot of hard work to be done.” He said,  “Hopefully I will be involved and I can try and help Wigan get to Cardiff."