Gaetan Bong returns to Wigan today intent on maintaining his considerable influence over Albion's Championship fortunes and avoiding the kind of slip-up he helped inflict on their last visit.

There is a better than 90 per cent chance the Seagulls will return from Lancashire with their unbeaten run stretched to eight games, thanks to Bong's dependable presence in the defence.

The former Cameroon international left-back has only been on the losing side twice with Albion in 28 league appearances since arriving as a free agent two summers ago.

A ruptured thigh tendon which required surgery sidelined Bong from all five defeats last season.

The only setbacks he has encountered were earlier this season at Newcastle and at home to Brentford.

That is not only down to Bong, of course, but he has solved Albion's left-back problem, a position occupied previously by a succession of loanees.

The new contract focus has been on twin central midfielders Dale Stephens and Beram Kayal, whose deals expire at the end of the season.

So does Bong's and it is unlikely to be long before the club's hierarchy thrash out a fresh arrangement to reward his impact.

He has gradually returned to his best after the injury which ruled him out for five months.

Bong has made a strong contribution to Albion's eight clean sheets - comfortably the most in the division - four of which have come in five wins in the undefeated sequence of seven matches.

Deprived by Kazenga LuaLua's injury of the instant rapport he established with his fellow African and French speaker, the 28-year-old is now dovetailing down the left with either Jiri Skalak or Jamie Murphy.

A left-sided midfielder when he launched his career with French club Metz, Bong has demonstrated his adventurous instincts on more than one occasion.

The latest example was against Wolves at the Amex on Tuesday, when he provided the cross for Sam Baldock's decisive header (celebrations below).

The Argus: Bong was already on Albion's radar when he helped Wigan to a 2-1 home win against them in April 2015.

It was too late to save the Latics from the drop but his career in England has gone from strength to strength with the Seagulls following spells also in France with Valenciennes and in Greece with Olympiakos.

Manager Chris Hughton said: "We were concious of his situation then. We knew he was on a short-term contract there (Wigan).

"It gave us an opportunity to see him at first hand and we have seen the value in him.

"I thought he was excellent the other night. He has also given us assists for goals this season, which is a great attribute to have for a full-back, but he's just been a really steady campaigner.

"He went through a spell of a couple of games where maybe he wasn't at his levels but he has been right back there."