After being out of the picture for some time, Skoko has come storming back to help the Blues all but banish their relegation worries.

Now he is on course to help Wigan take the scalp of Champions League semi-finalists Chelsea.

Skoko impressed manager Steve Bruce in recent displays against Portsmouth and Birmingham City.

He earned a recall when Wilson Palacios, Michael Brown and Jason Koumas were all hit by suspension.

All three are now clear to play again but Bruce has a real selection headache on his hands and seems reluctant to drop Skoko.

Bruce told the Wigan Evening Post: “Josip hadn’t played in the league for about four months until Portsmouth, and I thought his performances have been terrific.

“He has given me a huge problem in terms of picking the team for Monday, he really showed me what he could do.”

Skoko is pleased to be back in first-team action, his only start between mid-November and the end of March coming at Sunderland in the FA Cup.

With his contract up in the summer, it’s been a timely return to the limelight, and another game in front of the cameras at Chelsea could greatly benefit him.

He seems determined to earn a fresh deal although several A-League coaches will no doubt be keeping a close eye on the situation, hoping to tempt him home.

Skoko, who played his last Socceroo game in last September’s 1-0 defeat to Argentina, said: “It’s been nice to get a run. Sitting in the stand watching games isn’t easy. It was a great feeling to play in the win against Birmingham although in the last 10 or 15 minutes I began to run out of steam.

“Match fitness isn’t something you can replicate in training, you need to be playing games regularly to get it. It’s Chelsea next and we'll see what happens for that.”