Latics recovered from a bad start to draw level with Manchester City at the half time interval.
New boss Steve Bruce's reign started with seeing his new team concede a goal after just thirty seconds as the Brazilian Geovanni, who replaced the injured Elano, capitalise on a defensive error and round Chris Kirkland to put the ball into an empty net.
But Latics did not dwell on conceding so early and they fought hard to get an equaliser, which they deservedly did so after 25 minutes. Good work by Jason Koumas saw the Welshman beat his marker and his left-footed cross towards the far post was met by the head of Paul Scharner, who had no problem directing the ball into the net.
It wasn't a match full of clear cut chances by any means, but this was more than made up by Wigan's never-say-die attitude as they were not afraid to put tackles in. However, captain Mario Melchiot was unfortunate to have been shown the red card for a two footed challenge on Stephen Ireland in the dying minutes and will now serve a suspension.
Bruce was handed a boost prior to kick off as striker Emile Heskey was passed fit, and so started up front along with Marcus Bent. Emmerson Boyce continued in defence alongside Titus Bramble, whilst Antonio Valencia put his injury problems behind him by playing for the first time since against Bruce, at Birmingham City in October. Heskey played until the 53rd minute when he was replaced by defender Ryan Taylor.
Going a goal down did not dishearten Latics as they battled hard to compete with high flying City, with the visitors having not threatened since their opening goal. Latics pressurised the visitors before the equaliser and caused problems when Landzaat pounced on a loose ball and his low shot was blocked by a City defender.
In the second half, substitute Taylor forced a brilliant save from Andreas Isaksson when he received the ball from a Melchiot cross and his first time shot forced the Swedish goalkeeper to palm the ball away for a corner.
With fifteen minutes left, Kevin Kilbane's brilliant long diagonal pass found Valencia on the edge of the box, where the Ecuadorian teed up Koumas, but his shot was blocked by an unforgiving City defence.
Latics might have wrapped up all the points in stoppage time too, when Paul Scharner whipped in a cross towards Bent, but the striker couldn't quite reach it. There was also a suspected handball from City substitute Kelvin Etuhu, but this was ignored by referee Mike Riley.
At the other end of the pitch, Kirkland spotted Martin Petrov had got behind the Latics defence with ten minutes before the break, but the Latics shot stopper rushed away from his line to clear the danger.
And there was a nervy moment for Isaksson, who in the first half had embarrassingly had his goal kick charged down by Bent, but luckily for the visitors, the ball only went out for a throw in.
City were limited to opportunities, with only Martin Petrov trying his luck from distance in the second half. Their best chances came from set pieces, but still Kirkland was not forced into a meaningful save.
So it ended all square for Bruce's first match in charge, and there is certainly a lot of encourage to take from the result.
LATICS: Kirkland; Melchiot (c), Bramble, Boyce, Kilbane; Valencia, Landzaat, Scharner, Koumas; Bent, Heskey (Taylor 52)
UNUSED SUBS: Pollitt, Granqvist, Skoko, Cotterill
BOOKED: Scharner, Bramble
SENT OFF: Melchiot
MANCHESTER CITY: Isaksson; Corluka, Richards, Dunne (c), Garrido (Ball 36); Fernandes, Hamann, Ireland, Geovanni (Etuhu 69), Petrov; Samaras (Bianchi 79)
UNUSED SUBS: Hart, Sun.
BOOKED: Hamann, Ball
REFEREE: Mike Riley
ATTENDANCE: 18,614
