Zaki is yet to start for the Latics since his row with Bruce, after the Egyptian forward failed to return to Wigan on time following international duty earlier in the month.

However, Bruce confirmed that regardless of Zaki's indiscipline, the club's interest tops the manager's priorities list.

"The team is the most important thing for me. So if I have to use him (Zaki) I will use him. After all we are paying him – when he is here!" Bruce said on Wednesday.

Zaki, who's on loan at Wigan from Zamalek until the end of the season, hasn’t scored for the club since his strike against Bolton in December last year.

"If we have an Achilles heel, it is obviously we don't score enough goals. It's not just down to the strikers. It's down to everyone," the ex-Manchester United defender said.

"But everyone says the hardest thing in the Premier League is scoring goals. Even the top teams are finding that."

Wigan enter the Bolton clash in eleventh spot in the Premiership table with 41 points from 33 games.