• Date: Sun 11 May 2008
  • Venue: The JJB Stadium
  • Ref: Bennett, S
  • Attendance: 25,133
0 - 2
Manchester United

Manchester United

Ronaldo (33)P

Giggs (80)

Wigan Athletic vs Manchester United

Team Lineups

Wigan Athletic

Chris Kirkland
Maynor Figueroa
Paul Scharner
Emmerson Boyce
Titus Bramble
Luis Antonio Valencia
Wilson Palacios
Jason Koumas
Michael Brown (Marlon King, 81)
Emile Heskey
Marcus Bent (Antoine Sibierski, 70)

Manchester United

Edwin van der Sar
Wes Brown
Rio Ferdinand
Patrice Evra
Nemanja Vidic
Paul Scholes (Owen Hargreaves, 67)
Michael Carrick
Cristiano Ronaldo
Carlos Tevez
Wayne Rooney
Ji-Sung Park (Ryan Giggs, 68)


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

It's all over - Manchester United are Premier League champions again! A tough game against a resolute Wigan side ended with victory for the visitors and they now travel to Moscow hoping to win a rare domestic and European double.

86

Figueroa unleashes a vicious left foot drive that van der Sar does well to palm away.

82

Utd supporters are in full voice now as their team play keep-ball on the way to lifting the Premier League trophy.

80
Substitution
 

Brown is replaced by King for Wigan.

79
Goal
 

Giggs could well have secured the title for Utd. The long serving midfielder slides the ball under Kirkland from Rooney's pass.

76
Yellow Card
 

Valencia is booked after barging into Vidic.

75

A fine defensive header by Evra keeps Heskey at bay.

72

Vidic glances his header wide of the target from 6 yards out.

70
Yellow Card
 

Heskey is booked for dissent.

70
Yellow Card
 

Palacios is booked for a foul on Tevez.

69
Substitution
 

Bent makes way for Sibierski.

68

Heskey goes so close for Wigan but his header is just over the bar.

67
Substitution
 

Park is replaced by Giggs.

66
Substitution
 

Scholes is replaced by Hargreaves.

64

News filters through that Chelsea have taken the lead against Bolton - but can Wigan score?

61

Utd are beginning to open up Wigan now. Bramble just manages tio block Tevez's shot on this occasion but it would seem a second goal is coming.

58

Another fine save by Kirkland keeps Wigan in the game. The former Liverpool stopper denied Tevez this time after the ball broke to the Utd stiker.

57
Yellow Card
 

Rooney is booked for dissent.

55

Great save by Kirkland. Rooney got free of the Wigan defence and smashed a low drive goalwards but the Wigan keeper got down superbly to touch the ball passed the post.

53

Ronaldo goes so close for Utd - and probably should've done better. But his free header, on the edge of the six yard box, sails wide of the target.

50

Kirkland does well to tip Ronaldo's stinging drive over the bar.

49

Park is brought down by Bramble 35 yards from goal - and Ronaldo's eyes light up.

Second half
 

The second half is underway at the JJB. Can Wigan get a goal to give Chelsea a chance of snatching the title?

Half time
 

Steve Bennett blows for half time and the focus is very much on the referee. He failed to award a penalty for what looked like a Ferdinand handball, awarded a spot kick to Utd which Ronaldo converted, and failed to give Scholes a second yellow card.

41

Koumas does brilliantly to track back and win the ball from Tevez as Utd threatened to increase their lead.

38

Bent volleys narrowly wide from a deep Valencia cross.

35

Scholes could well have got his second yellow card and his marching orders after a late challenge on Palacios - but for some reason ref Steve Bennett decides not to book the midfiielder.

32
Goal
 

Ronaldo opens the scoring for Manchester United with his 31st of the season - and with Chelsea drawing against Bolton, Is that the goal to set Utd on their way to the title?

31
Penalty
 

Rooney is brought down by Boyce after a goalmouth scramble. Ronaldo has grabbed the ball.

28

Figueroa has a wild slash at the ball from 35 yards out but his effort threatens the corner flag more than van der Sar's goal.

25

Ronaldo lines up a free kick 30 yards from goal after a foul on Park. - but his effort is palmed away by Kirkland.

24

Ronaldo finally breaks free of the Wigan defence - but his low cross is hacked clear by Bramble.

23

Bent heads over from a Wigan corner. It was a free header and the on loan Charlton striker should have done better.

21

A hopeful flick header by Bent has van der Sar scrambling backwards to turn the ball over his crossbar. Corner to Wigan.

19

Tevez was through on goal but he was standing in an offside position when Carrick played the ball to him. The Wigan defense is holding firm.

16

Bramble does well to clear his lines with Rooney on hand tio give Utd the lead.

13
Yellow Card
 

Scholes is the first to go into Steve Bennett's book after a late challenge from behind on Palacios

11

The Wigan players have nothing to play for - but you wouldn't have thought so by the way they've started this game. At the moment, they're playing the better football.

9

Ronaldo has Utd's first shot in anger - but the ball goes well wide of the target.

7

Ferdinand stands off the advancing Koumas, who runs from his own half with the ball - but the midfielder's final shot goes harmlessly wide of the target.

5

The home side have started brighter and only a poor delivery from Bent prevents another dangerous cross from reaching the Man Utd penalty box.

3

Wigan fans crank up the noise levels as Brown tries his luck from just outside the area. Van der Sar collects easily though.

Ref Steve Bennett gets the game underway and Utd immediately surge forward with a long ball from Evra.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

There's a carnival atmosphere as the two sides make their way onto the pitch at a packed JJB Stadium for this crucial final game of the 2007/08 season.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Wigan: Kirkland, Boyce, Bramble, Scharner, Figueroa, Valencia, Palacios, Brown, Koumas, Bent, Heskey

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Park, Tevez, Rooney

Awaiting Kickoff
 

AFTER 26 wins from 37 Premier League games, Manchester United need one more victory to secure the 2007/08 title - and fend off the challenge of league rivals Chelsea.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

If they fail to take maximum points against Steve Bruce’s already safe Wigan side, then a win for the West Londoners would see the title head south, in what would prove to be one of the most dramatic conclusions to a Premier League season.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Shock team news for United is the return of striker Wayne Rooney, who has recovered from a hip injury to take his place in the starting line-up.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

For Wigan, defenders Mario Melchiot and Erik Edman remain sidelined, while midfielder Kevin Kilbane has been giving the day off after struggling with an injury to his back.