CHARLES N’ZOGBIA was a Wigan match-winner last season and an Everton FC target this summer.

The Frenchman is now an Aston Villa player, but Wigan boss Roberto Martinez brings his N’Zogbia-less team to Goodison Park tomorrow warning it would be wrong to expect new signing Shaun Maloney to fill his match-winning void.

Forward N’Zogbia, one of the Latics’ most potent attacking weapons over the last two seasons, joined Aston Villa in a £9.5million deal in the summer.

It was the kind of deal David Moyes had hoped to clinch, until Barclays Bank demanded a reduction in the club’s overdraft and players like Joseph Yobo and Yakubu proved impossible to move on until the final day of the transfer deadline.

N’Zogbia’s departure has seen youngster Victor Moses – the player in the Premier League who has had the most total shots (15) this season without scoring a goal – given more chances while Scotland striker Maloney was brought in from Celtic on deadline day last month.

Maloney, 28, is hoping to make his mark in the Premier League at the second attempt after a previous unsuccessful spell with Aston Villa.

Martinez wants to give him time to settle and does not want to burden him with an expectation to match the impact made by previous players. The Spaniard said: “Every player is different. It would be a big mistake to try to replace a player that has gone.

“The players that have gone haven’t got an influence in the side anymore.

“What is important is to see the talent we have in the squad is really exciting.

“Shaun Maloney is in the peak of his career at 28.

“He has got the know-how, the experience and technically he is such a gifted player.

“If we can get him to enjoy his football he is going to be an exciting player to watch and will have a massive role.”

Maloney was overlooked for last week’s loss at Manchester City but made his debut in Tuesday’s Carling Cup second round defeat at Crystal Palace.