Wigan made the short trip down the A580 to take on their more illustrious rivals looking for their first point in eight league visits to Manchester United.
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez had the luxury of virtually a full strength side to choose from with only Antolin Alcaraz out through injury thus allowing the side to remain unchanged from the side which started against Stoke two weeks ago.
Wigan started the game looking confident on the ball against a United side which included Giggs and Scholes, the latter making his 700th league start.
In recent visits to Old Trafford , Wigan have been on the end of some controversial referring decisions surrounding penalties given/not given and sending’s off and so it was again today when Ali Al Habsi was harshly adjudged to have fouled Welbeck as Mr Oliver had no hesitation in awarding the home side a penalty. From the resultant spot kick however, not for the first time in his Wigan career, Al Habsi came to the rescue, saving Hernandez’s kick to keep the score goalless.
Wigan continued their good work of the second half of last season (most notably when they beat United at the DW) with their slick passing and constant harassing of the United side causing concern amongst the home fans.
Not for the first time , whilst Latics approach play was good, their finishing wasn’t up to the same standard, with both Ramis and Kone noticeably at fault , the former sending a header round the post from a Maloney cross and the latter firing wide from inside the six yard box following good work from Beausejour.
United’s best chances fell to Nani and Welbeck but both sides trooped down the tunnel at half time goalless with Wigan the happier side.
The second half was a much different affair although when Martinez watches the game again he will feel that Wigan lost the game rather than United won it, so poor was some of their defending.
The first goal fell to Paul Scholes who not for the first time in his career tested the referee’s patience with some of his tackling. Al Habsi spilled a cross from Nani and the fiery midfielder scored one of his simplest goals with an easy tap in.
Twelve minutes later and it was two nil, the second goal, the result of poor defending when the Wigan defence allowed Buttner to react first to a partially blocked cross from Giggs and fed Hernandez and with the Wigan defence appealing for offside in vain, the Mexican fired past Al Habsi and it was game over.
Wigan were shell shocked and it got even worse, when within three minutes Buttner broke down the left, outpaced the Wigan defence and beat Al Habsi with a powerful shot.
Wigan continued to try and play football but their usual hammering at Old Trafford was confirmed when debutant Powell made it four nil with another unstoppable shot.
The full time whistle brought to an end another afternoon when Wigan’s technical play was undone by sharp clincial finishing.
Wigan Line up;
Al Habsi, Ramis , Caldwell, Figueroa, Boyce, McCarthy, McArthur, Beausejour, Di Santo, Kone, Maloney
Subs used;
Gomez for Maloney, Jones for Beausejour
Man of the Match ( Wigan) Di Santo, never stopped trying.
Att 75,142
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