- Date:2008-03-01
- Kick-off:17:15
- Venue:City of Manchester Stadium
- Attendance:38261
- Referee:Bennett, S
Live Commentary
90mins
FT:Man City 0-0 Wigan: Benjani missed a guilt edged chance to win it late on and Hart did well to deny Palacios but it ended goalless in a very scrappy game.
87mins
Now the play has been exclusively in the Wigan half for the last few moments and that is probably the way it will go for the remainder.
85mins
The game has come to life in the last ten minutes with both sides looking like they have a chance of winning it.
82mins
Wilson Palacios almost does then find the back of the net as he bursts from midfield in support of Heskey only to see his first effort come back off Joe Hart and the rebound not fall in time to get a strike on it and it is looped over.
81mins
Koumas with another devilish ball into the danger area from a set-piece and this time Sibierski is inches away from applying the finishing touch.
80mins
Benjani and Vassell both close in on Kirkland but the keeper does well to grab Caicedo's through header before them.
78mins
Valencia has suddenly come to life with a couple of neat touches and he almost finds Sibierski with a cross that Hart does well to collect down low.
76mins
Heskey does brilliantly to beat Hart to the ball although his touch forces him wide he does well to cut it back into Sibierski who scuffs it terribly wide.
74mins
Caicedo is really starting to catch the eye by taking up some clever positions and executing defence splitting passes easily.
71mins
Caicedo plays a superbly weighted pass into the path of Vassell and he cuts it back leaving Benjani with the simplest of chances but he steers it wide of the net.
68mins
Castillo is naturally left footed but is playing from the right hand side and he uses the opportunity here to cut in onto his favoured foot and tries to curl one bpast Kirkland but he is alert to the danger and saves with ease.
67mins
Steve Bruce makes his first change as Antoine Sibierski replaces teh busy Marlon King.
66mins
The rain is really tumbling down now and that will change the game dynamic slightly as the ball will zip off the skiddy surface.
63mins
Nery Castillo is now coming on to try and provide a different threat to Stephen Ireland that he is replacing.
62mins
Palacios bends in a good cross from a deep area and it falls for Marlon King on the edge of the box and his shot which is arrowing towards the bottom corner is superbly blocked by Dunne.
61mins
The game has now got scrappy again with the passing starting to falter and the long ball worrying becoming a favoured tactic.
58mins
Wigan finally manage to get themselves forward but there is a lack of support for King and Heskey who eventually lose the ball and City are back on the attack.
55mins
The pressure is mounting on the Wigan defence and Benjani again goes close with an effort that Kirkland does well to save above his head.
52mins
Michael Johnson curls a superb free-kick into the danger area around the pack post but Onuoha can't get there as Scharner uses his experience to block his run.
49mins
And in fact the Brazilian will play no further part as Elano is now replaced by young Felipe Caicedo.
48mins
Elano hit a wonderful ball out to Vassell to start that move but he seems to have twisted something and is down receiving treatment.
47mins
Benjani has a great chance to give City the lead as Vassell squares it from the right hand side but Scharner is there in the nick of time to block it.
46mins
The second half is underway and hopefully there will be some goals to accompany this second 45 minutes.
45mins
HT:Man City 0-0 Wigan: At the end of a lively first half the score is goalless with both goalkeepers not having the busiest of evenings but Benjani went close.
45mins
Koumas whips a good free kick into the back post where Heskey is arriving but his header lacks conviction and bobbles wide of the net.
45mins
The referee has indicated that there will be around three minutes of added time.
42mins
Michael Johnson tries a very ambitious effort from all of 35 yards with his weaker left foot and he slices it wildly wide of the goal.
40mins
Erik Edman is down in his own box after a really brave defensive header to stop Vassell bringing the ball down and being through on goal.
38mins
It is just starting to heat up out there with a few tasty 50-50's going on, the latest between Melchiot and Ireland.
35mins
Michael Brown has been cautioned for a late challenge on Elano.
33mins
Kirkland is now receiving some treatment - not something he is a stranger to - but he looks fine this time, thankfully.
32mins
Superb keeping from Kirkland! Benjani is through one on one but the keeper blocks the ball well and Ireland is denied a follow up by Scharner who recovered well.
30mins
Michael Johnson is just back from a long injury absence and he makes a lung busting run from the half way line and lets off a shot that slices wide but it got the crowd on their feet.
30mins
Wigan look a little dangerous on the counter attack with King seeing a lot of the ball in deep areas and trying to drive at the back four.
27mins
City are starting to see more of the ball now and gain some real control of the tempo and flow of the game but as yet Kirkland looks comfortable.
24mins
Stephen Ireland goes close from range with a powerful 25 yard effort that almost skims the cross bar - nothing much happened during the gap in coverage apart from a woeful effort from Michael Ball.
22mins
Apologies for the lack of commentary there for a few minutes - a technical problem is to blame. Will check back and tell what happened in the break.
10mins
Jason Koumas has been awarded a rare start today and he is a player capable of making something from nothing - up against Corluka he has a tough test so it will be interesting to watch that battle.
7mins
Now City at the other end with a swift break and Ball crosses to the back post for Darius Vassell who sees his header well saved by Kirkland.
6mins
Joe Hart is forced into action again early on as he has to deny Heskey this time, but again the keeper took it well.
5mins
Wigan have started well and their passing has been quite crisp and accurate, although City do not look too concerned.
2mins
Marlon King gets the first shot of the game in as he beats Dunne well on the left touchline, sadly for the Latics his effort is curled straight down the throat of Joe Hart
1mins
Steve Bennett is today's match official and he gets the game underway.
0mins
Wigan: Kirkland, Melchiot, Scharner, Boyce, Edman, Valencia, Brown, Palacios, Koumas, Heskey, King
0mins
Man City: Hart, Corluka, Dunne, Onuoha, Ball, Vassell, Gelson, Elano, Johnson, Ireland, Mwaruwari
0mins
Wigan have been in a real run of form lately and the powerful strike duo of Marlon King and Emile Heskey will look to cause Dunne and Onuoha no end of problems.
0mins
City are without a number of first team regulars as Micah Richards sits out after a knee operation and Martin Petrov is suspended following his red card in midweek. Nedum Onuoha will join Dunne at the heart of the defence.
0mins
Welcome to Eastlands where a faltering Manchester CIty side welcome a Wigan team bristling with confidence.
Match Preview
Manchester City's hopes of securing Champions League football have now entered the last chance saloon as they prepare to take on Wigan Athletic at Eastlands.
The Citizens slipped to a costly 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Everton on Monday night to leave them eighth in the table and firmly behind the likes of the Toffees, Liverpool and Aston Villa in the race for fourth place.
Their misery was also compounded by a late red card and subsequent three-match ban for winger Martin Petrov.
"It was a great chance to put ourselves into a good position for the rest of the season," admitted a disappointed captain Richard Dunne.
"We need to learn fast and hopefully now we start on Saturday and that will kick-start our season again."
City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson could shuffle his pack after seeing his side win just one of their last six games - the Manchester derby at Old Trafford.
Fit-again playmaker Elano is expected to return to the starting line-up, while Nery Castillo and Vedran Corluka are knocking on the door.
Meanwhile, midfielder Michael Johnson could be on the bench after proving his fitness in a midweek reserve team outing.
Wigan Athletic arrive at the City of Manchester Stadium in a confident mood after boosting their survival hopes with a 2-0 win over Derby County last weekend.
Steve Bruce's side moved up to 14th place in the table on the back of their second win in three games and suddenly the immediate future looks much brighter for the previously ailing Latics.
Wigan have also been cheered by positive injury news concerning attacking fulcrum Emile Heskey.
The England international has been hampered by foot, back and hamstring problems this term but, after seeking specialist advice, is confident of playing a full part in the final 11 games of the season.
Elsewhere, Bruce has virtually a fully-fit squad to select from which has left him with welcome selection headaches in all areas of the pitch.
The likes of Marcus Bent, Jason Koumas, Antoine Sibierski and Titus Bramble had to be content with places on the bench last weekend but are all pushing for recalls to the starting line-up.
advertisement
advertisment
Match Report
Manchester City's dream of bringing European football to Eastlands continues to fade after they were held at home by Wigan Athletic.
It is City's inconsistent home form which is proving their undoing as they have now gone six league games at the City Of Manchester Stadium without a win.
What a contrast to earlier when they won their first nine home league games to occupy a Champions League spot for much of the early part of the season.
But this was a poor performance and City's season is in danger of petering out into a damp squib as they slip down the table.
Battling Wigan, meanwhile, picked up another valuable point in their fight to stave off relegation.
They also maintained their excellent record against City, who have failed to beat them in their last six Premier League meetings.
City had the better of the handful of scoring chances in a dismal goalless opening half.
Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland made an excellent early save to keep out a header from Darius Vassell following a left-wing cross from Michael Ball.
Stephen Ireland then curled a shot narrowly over the crossbar before turning provider to put Benjani Mwaruwari clean through on goal with an inch-perfect pass.
Kirkland again came to Wigan's rescue by racing from his line to bravely block at the feet of Benjani and in the process sustained a chest injury which needed treatment.
Wigan only managed a couple of attempts at goal, but Marlon King and Emile Heskey failed to trouble keeper Joe Hart .
City lost Brazilian Elano, who limped of with a knee injury minutes after the restart and then, shortly after the hour-mark, manager Sven-Goran Eriksson took off Ireland.
But the introduction of Ecuador international Felipe Caicedo and Mexican Nery Castillo failed to inspire City, who continued to labour as they rarely threatened to break down a well-disciplined Wigan defence.
City had a great chance to make a breakthrough in the 71st minute when Caicedo and Vassell combined to open up the Wigan defence, only for Benjani to shoot wide from six yards when it looked as though he could not miss.
Yet in the closing stages, Wigan had two great chances to snatch victory.
Heskey's hard work set up Wilson Palacios and the Honduran was denied by a super save from Hart, the first time the City keeper had been troubled all afternoon.
Then Jason Koumas and Luis Antonio Valencia linked well to set up substitute Antoine Sibierski, only fro the ex-City player to see his goal-bound shot blocked by City captain Richard Dunne.
Manchester City Team
Wigan Athletic Team
Manchester City | Wigan Athletic |
Corners
| 4 | 1 |
Fouls
| 12 | 7 |
Goal attempts
| 12 | 8 |
Shots off target
| 6 | 3 |
Offsides
| 4 | 7 |



90mins
As we enter injury time Wigan are having to hold on to their point and City have a free-kick and are loading the box.