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  • Rooney (28), Carrick (32), Rafael (45), Berbatov (50), Valencia (75)
  • Date:2009-12-30
  • Kick-off:20:00
  • Venue:Old Trafford
  • Attendance:74560
  • Referee:Mason, L

Live Commentary

90mins

The referee brings an end to the game

89mins

Edman takes a shot but the ball flies wide of the target. Worth a try from that position

87mins

Welbeck, who has looked bright in these last few minutes, gives away a free kick for a foul on Edman

86mins

Anderson's powerful shot goes a couple of yards over. Decent chance to add another goal to United's tally

84mins

Pollitt makes a fantastic save from close range after the ball took a wicked deflection off a Wigan player following good work from Welbeck

83mins

Rooney lines up a free kick. Wigan look worried but he makes a bit of a mess of it in the end

80mins

Rooney's curled effort goes just over the bar. Excellent from the United man

80mins

This has been a masterclass from United, and Rooney in particular. Chelsea should be worried after watching this

78mins

Edman's shot is blocked by Anderson, who has been quiet since coming on

74mins

United win back possession well in midfield. Rooney plays Valencia in with a great ball for him to score with a cool finish

73mins

Rodallega has a great chance to score after a fantastic pass from Bramble but Rafael comes across well to clear the ball to Anderson

72mins

Sinclair has had a few good early touches and he nearly plays in Cho but the ball gets away from him at the last minute

68mins

Gomez does well to block a cross from Rooney

66mins

Erik Edman is on for Thomas

66mins

Evra comes off for Fabio Da Silva

66mins

Luis de Abreu Anderson comes on for Vidic

66mins

Danny Welbeck comes on for Berbatov

66mins

Scott Sinclair comes on for N'Zogbia

66mins

Berbatov's shot is saved by Pollitt. The United striker looks like he's enjoying himself out there

63mins

Wigan are seeing a lot of the ball at the moment. Rodallega runs into the box but the ball is won well by Rafael and United can break. Rooney and Berbatov combine well up front for United but Pollitt does well to stop Rooney playing in Berbatov

61mins

Rodallega's shot is drilled straight at Kuszczak. This is better from Wigan

61mins

N'Zogbia flashes the ball across the front of goal. Brilliant work from Rodallega and Cho on the wing and that was a great chance for Wigan to score

60mins

Gomez finds Scharner, who plays the ball to N'Zogbia. Rodallega and N'Zogbia attack for Wigan but it's far too predictable and United have no trouble coping

57mins

Charles N'Zogbia is booked for dissent after kicking the ball away. Pure frustration from the Wigan man

56mins

Scharner's shot is blocked by Brown. United looking very comfortable at the moment

54mins

The problem for Wigan is a lack of movement when they have the ball, combined with the sheer brilliance of this United performance

53mins

Carrick finds Fletcher, who plays the ball to Park. Wigan look very disheartened at the moment as United keep possession well

51mins

Berbatov has another chance to score but he tries to be a little too flash and the attempt is wasted

49mins

Berbatov scores from six yards out after Thomas slipped and gave away the ball just yards from goal. Awful from Wigan

46mins

A first time shot from Rooney is saved well by Pollitt. United starting the second half as they ended the first

45mins

The second half is underway

45mins

Mike Pollitt comes on for Kirkland

45mins

It's half time at Old Trafford

44mins

Rafael shows good determination to score United's third, bending the ball away from Kirkland brilliantly

43mins

Bramble closes Valencia down well before he can cross the ball in a dangerous position. Boyce clears the resulting corner

41mins

Scharner lays the ball off to Rodallega. He cuts inside and finds Gomez, who plays the ball to Cho. Cho takes a shot but it fails to trouble Kuszczak

38mins

Vidic runs into plenty of space before finding Valencia. Valencia finds Berbatov but his shot looks more like a cross in the end and goes into the stands

36mins

Rooney's shot is blocked by Boyce. It's all one-way traffic at the moment

35mins

Berbatov is challenged unfairly by Thomas. Wes Brown takes the free kick but Wigan manage to break up United's attack

33mins

Thomas tries his luck from range. The ball goes about a foot over the bar, with Kuszczak stretching

31mins

Carrick scores United's second goal after sloppy play from Wigan, stroking the ball into the back of the net

27mins

Wigan give the ball away in midfield. Valencia sends the ball in and Rooney pounces to send the ball past Kirkland with a nice finish

26mins

Fletcher finds Berbatov on the edge of the box as Wigan switch off in defence. Emmerson Boyce comes out to make a challenge before the striker can get his shot away

24mins

Wigan are playing long balls up front whenever they win back possession at the back. Not really working for them at the moment

20mins

Berbatov has a great chance to score but he tries to dink the ball over Kirkland and makes a mess of his attempt

19mins

Rooney's attempt hits the post after a great piece of skill. United unlucky not to be leading here

19mins

Nemanja Vidic has an attempt cleared off the line. United really piling on the pressure now

18mins

Rooney's shot is on target but met comfortably by Kirkland. The United striker was left in far too much space there

17mins

Berbatov is through on goal. Bramble's tackle leads to calls for a penalty from the United players but on first look it appears to be an honest challenge

16mins

Mario Melchiot finds Rodallega, who tries to find Garcia Jordi Gomez. Gomez fails to keep the ball and claims he was fouled by Fletcher but the referee isn't interested

14mins

Valencia crosses into the box and Berbatov heads the ball straight into the arms of Kirkland. Valencia could have sent in the cross a little earlier there

11mins

Darren Fletcher finds Patrice Evra, who plays the ball forward to Michael Carrick. United's attack is broken up by Thomas, who read the play very well

9mins

Rooney gets away from Thomas but Scharner is there to cover for Wigan. United play a game of keep ball before giving the ball away to Wigan. A scrappy opening to the game from both sides

8mins

Won-Hee Cho gives away the ball. Hendry Thomas wins it back but Wigan need to tighten up their play in midfield

6mins

Rooney's curled attempt goes out for a goal kick

5mins

Hugo Rodallega forces Tomasz Kuszczak into action after good pressure from Paul Scharner

3mins

Valencia's shot from the edge of the area sends Chris Kirkland diving down to make a comfortable save

2mins

Ji-Sung Park passes to Dimitar Berbatov after great work from Wayne Rooney. Bramble clears the ball once again for Wigan

1mins

Luis Antonio Valencia attacks with the ball down the right and Titus Bramble does well to come across to clear the ball

0mins

The referee gets the game started at Old Trafford

0mins

Wigan have an awful record against Manchester United and the champions will definitely be up for this one tonight

Match Preview

Manchester United will be hoping to keep up the pressure on leaders Chelsea with a resounding win against Wigan Athletic at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening.

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez may fancy his plucky side's chances though.

United have a debilitating injury list and it is a one that could all but end their title challenge if it is to continue to hinder them into the new year.

Sir Alex Ferguson's beleaguered side have been playing Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher and youngster Ritchie de Laet in defence lately and his patched up side has struggled.

Nemanja Vidic, Wes Brown and Rafael all returned to face Hull City on Sunday and the 3-1 victory closed the gap on leaders Chelsea to just two points.

However, Rio Ferdinand, Jonny Evans, Gary Neville, John O'Shea, Nani, Edwin van der Sar, Owen Hargreaves and Federico Macheda will all definitely miss the visit of the Latics through injury.

Four games in 11 days will certainly test United's resolve and it will be interesting to see if Ferguson's stricken unit can deal with the rigours in front of them.

One player who will be desperate to shine on Wednesday will be Luis Antonio Valencia following his £16million switch to the Red Devils from Wigan in the summer.

For the visitors, Mohamed Diame is out of their Christmas and new year campaign after injuring knee ligaments in the recent defeat against Liverpool.

Last season, the Latics ran United close at Old Trafford as they fell to a 1-0 defeat. A goal in the second minute was enough for the champions to grab all three points.


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Match Report

Wigan Athletic endured another night of torture at Old Trafford as Manchester United celebrated their best home win of the season.

If there is the ultimate nightmare scenario for Wigan, it is a fixture against United.

The Red Devils have won all 10 of their Premier League fixtures against Wigan, scoring 31 goals and conceding only four.

For good measure, United also beat Wigan 4-0 in the 2006 Carling Cup Final.

United could have been 3-0 up before Wayne Rooney broke the deadlock in the 28th minute.

In two amazing minutes almost midway through the first half, Nemanja Vidic had a shot cleared off the line by Paul Scharner, Rooney hit the inside of a post and Dimitar Berbatov missed a golden opportunity when through one-on-one with goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.

When Wigan were finally cracked, there was no way back for Roberto Martinez's side.

Antonio Valencia, who joined United from Wigan for £17million in the summer, found Rafael de Silva rampaging down the right.

The Brazilian crossed to the near post and Rooney got in before Titus Bramble to hook his shot into the net from six yards.

United doubled their lead four minutes later. Berbatov fed Valencia on the right and he turned the ball back into the centre of the penalty area for Michael Carrick to score with a well-placed low right-foot shot from 15 yards.

United made it 3-0 in the last minute of the first half. Darren Fletcher picked out Rafael on the edge of the Wigan box and he evaded two challenges before scoring with a left-foot shot.

Wigan were 4-0 behind five minutes after the interval. Valencia, who was a constant thorn in the side of his former club, crossed from the right edge of the box and Berbatov stabbed in a right-foot shot from 10 yards.

Rooney hit the bar with a header form close range soon after and it was fitting that Valencia should complete the scoring in the 75th minute.

Rooney's slide-rule pass found the Ecuadorian racing into the box and he scored with a clever chip from 12 yards.

Tomasz Kuszczak made two fine saves to deny Hugo Rodellega, but when it comes to United versus Wigan games there is only ever one winner.

Manchester United

Wigan Athletic

Corners

73

Fouls

713

Goal attempts

188

Shots off target

75

Offsides

31

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