Wigan 1 - 1 Manchester City

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Saturday Dec 01 2007 03:00

Steve Bruce's reign got off to an encouraging start as ten-man Wigan showed their fighting qualities to stop the rot after eight straight defeats and deny Manchester City the chance to move ahead of rivals United in the Premier League table.

But the former Birmingham boss had to endure an instantly forgettable first minute when City were gifted the lead before they battled back to level before half-time.

And he could have lived without the late red card for skipper Mario Melchiot who now faces a three-match ban.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's side was missing influential Brazilian star Elano who picked up a hamstring injury in training, but Geovanni was back in the starting line-up.

Wigan had Chris Kirkland, Antonio Valencia and Melchiot back after injury and Emile Heskey, who was on the bench at Arsenal last week, was in from the off partnering Marcus Bent up front with Antoine Sibierski injured.

The welcome applause for Bruce had hardly died down when City grabbed the lead after a terrible blunder by Titus Bramble.The big centre-back made a total mess of getting the ball clear when there appeared to be no danger.

The slip let Geovanni in and the Brazilian nipped round Kirkland to slot it into the empty net after just 35 seconds to make it a nightmare start for the Latics and their new manager.

But Wigan bounced back to level it up when Jason Koumas pounced on Vedran Corluka's clearing header to pick out the unmarked Paul Scharner with the cross, and the Austrian midfielder headed in the equaliser.

The Latics threatened again just before half-time when Koumas hammered one over the bar and a Kevin Kilbane throw-in bounced dangerously in the box, but no-one took advantage of the chance.Ryan Taylor replaced Heskey and the former Tranmere player went close to firing Wigan into the lead.

Scharner set up the strike and City keeper Andreas Isaksson reacted superbly to push it wide.

Wigan had a handball appeal against Micah Richards turned down as Valencia chased into the box and there was more controversy when Michael Ball was robbed of possession just inside the area, and ref Mike Riley blew for a free-kick.

But the match ended on a sour note when the Latics were reduced to ten men for the last three minutes after Melchiot was sent off for a two-footed challenge on Stephen Ireland.

And the Latics were denied again in stoppage time when the ball appeared to strike Kelvin Etuhu on the hand inside the area.

Live Commentary

  • 90
    FT:Wigan 1-1 Man City: It is hard to believe there were so few chances in this game as both sides were lively and a draw is probably a fair result in the end.
  • 90
    The home fans are appealing for a penalty as Etuhu controls the ball in his own area as they think he used his arm but the referee gives nothing.
  • 90
    Ireland scored a dramatic late winner last week and almost repeats the trick with a back-heeled effort that rolls just wide.
  • 90
    There is a fair bit of stoppage time going to be played here, especially after that red card.
  • 87
    Mario Melchiot with a vicious looking two footed lunge on Ireland has been dismissed, although in the Dutchman's defence he did appear to get some of the ball.
  • 85
    Michael Ball is another play that finds himself in the referee's notebook as he brings down Scharner.
  • 84
    Superb run from young Etuhu as he sprints past three defenders to get to the byline before cutting it back into the area but no-one arrives and Wigan clear.
  • 83
    Hamann has been very quiet today when Eriksson would have been looking for him to use his experience, in the absence of the injured Elano, to open up the Wigan defence.
  • 80
    Watching this must be so frustrating for Wigan and City fans! Both teams have been playing decent stuff until the final third when it has broken down almost every single time. At the moment you get the feeling they are happy to take a point each.
  • 78
    Rolando Bianchi is on - to the delight of the travelling support - as he replaces the disappointing Samaras.
  • 76
    Taylor now robs Ball on the edge of the visitors penalty area and is in on goal but the referee has awarded a free-kick and in all honesty that is a very poor decision.
  • 74
    Paul Scharner is the latest to go into the book as he brings down Dietmar Hamann in midfield.
  • 73
    Jason Koumas has sort of drifted out of this but the ball drops to him now in the area and only a superb sliding block from Dunne prevents him testing Isaksson.
  • 70
    Having been looking the more likely, Wigan have now stopped playing football and are just lumping it into channels which is just giving Man City easy possession.
  • 69
    Geovanni has been running the channels all day and is clearly tired and he is now replaced by young Kelvin Etuhu.
  • 67
    At the moment the game is being heavily disrupted by a number of petty fouls which is breaking up any chance of flowing football.
  • 64
    It is still a lively game but the quality of play is still lacking. This is a strange one really as there are so many threatening situations but few attempts on goal.
  • 62
    Titus Bramble is not having his best of days and one more bad challenge will see it complete as he picks up a yellow card for a foul on Samaras.
  • 60
    The attendance figures have just been announced and City fans make up over a quarter of today's crowd. Is that great support from them or poor support for Wigan?
  • 59
    Ryan Taylor with one of his very first touches forces Isaksson into a good diving stop with a stinging left-foot volley.
  • 58
    Koumas initially does brilliantly as he fakes to shoot before cutting to the byline but unfortunately he can't wrap his foot round the ball and it skews out of play behind the goal.
  • 54
    It appears that Wigan are going to move Koumas in behind Bent with Taylor occupying the right wing slot, this could work well as Koumas has looked in good touch.
  • 52
    An interesting change though from Bruce as he replaces Heskey with a defender, in the shape of right-back Ryan Taylor.
  • 51
    A shame here for Emile Heskey and Wigan because Bent plays a lovely ball into the box but the England man pulls up and looks do have done damage to his hamstring.
  • 50
    City are playing the better football but they have probably created less opportunities to have a go at goal than Wigan.
  • 48
    Geovanni and Ireland combine neatly on the edge of the box and unfortunately for City the ball bobbles just as the latter attempts a strike on goal.
  • 46
    Both sides are unchanged as we begin the second half hoping for more quality to match the sizeable effort.
  • 45
    Both sides have been lively but without showing too much in the final third. Wigan recovered well from that horrendous start but, apart from the goals, there has been very little goalmouth action so far.
  • 45
    Kilbane hurls in a long throw and everyone leaves it and Marcus Bent is inches away from tapping into the net.
  • 45
    Two minutes of added time are to be played.
  • 44
    Melchiot is advancing with gusto down the right hand side and Hamann scythes him down to pick up the first booking of the game.
  • 42
    Petrov curls in a free-kick from the right hand side and Dunne goes in with Heskey for it but it comes off the big centre half and out for a goal kick.
  • 39
    There are very few goals around the Premier League this afternoon and considering the number of real chances it is hard to believe we have had both of them here.
  • 35
    Garrido hasn't recovered sufficiently from that knock he took earlier and he will now be replaced by Michael Ball.
  • 32
    Koumas is beginning to enjoy himself and he almost threads Valencia in behind but Richards intercepts well although he then gifts possession back and Valencia almost finds Heskey coming in.
  • 30
    The game is very open and its hard to believe that - apart from the goals - there has been so little goalmouth action.
  • 27
    That has perked up the crowd again and they will hope to drive their team on now and see if they can get in front before the break.
  • 24
    There is the equaliser! Jason Koumas gets to the byline and chips it to the far post where Scharner arrives to head it into the net.
  • 22
    There is very little to comment on unfortunately with both teams playing some very poor football in this first half, we can only hope things improve.
  • 20
    Garrido has taken quite a bad knock and been down for a few minutes now but he is walking off the pitch so it seems he will return.
  • 17
    Man City have set themselves out to attack today anf they are not actually playing too well and Jason Koumas looks like he may find a lot of room in the gap on City's right hand side.
  • 13
    That goals certainly took the new manager spice out of Wigan who are trying to force their way back into this game but the tempo is slow and the passing inaccurate.
  • 10
    Landzaat has got into an advanced position to try and whip a ball in for Bent and Heskey to attack but Richard Dunne makes a very good block to deny them.
  • 7
    Geovanni could be in behind Bramble again here but this time the centre half uses his strength well and holds off the Brazilian.
  • 4
    Man City cannot believe their luck and are enjoying some decent possession in early stages and teh lively home crowd have been silenced completely.
  • 1
    What a start for City! Titus Bramble makes a horrible mistake in failing to clear a simple ball and Geovanni runs through to round the keeper and put it in with just 30 seconds on the clock.
  • 0
    We are underway at the JJB.
  • 0
    Man City: Isaksson, Corluka, Dunne, Richards, Garrido, Ireland, Hamann, Gelson, Geovanni, Petrov, Samaras
  • 0
    Wigan: Kirkland, Melchiot, Bramble, Boyce, Kilbane, Valencia, Scharner, Landzaat, Koumas, Bent, Heskey
  • 0
    City have recovered well from the hammering they took at Stamford Bridge but they needed a wonder strike from Stephen Ireland to beat Reading last time out.
  • 0
    Wigan defended stoutly for 80 minutes against table-topping Arsenal before being undone twice late-on but that showed a good upturn in their form which had been nothing short of terrible.
  • 0
    Sven Goran-Eriksson brings his Manchester City side to the JJB as Steve Bruce takes charge of the Latics for the first time.

Statistics

Wigan
Shots on target 4
Shots off target 1
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 13
Offsides 2
Corners 2

Manchester City
Shots on target 1
Shots off target 3
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 10
Offsides 2
Corners 4

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