Rampant United make Latics pay

Man Utd v Wigan Athletic
Barclays Premier League
Old Trafford, Manchester
Kick Off 8.00pm

Manchester United . . . . . . . . . . 5
Rooney 28', Carrick 31', R. Da Silva 45', Berbatov 50', Valencia 75'.

Wigan Athletic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0

A disappointing night for Latics as former player Antonio Valencia ran riot in a 5-0 win for the home side.

In fairness the game was effectively over by half-time as time after time Man Utd found acres of space on the right wing and punished as a result. Twice Valencia provided the ammunition either side of the half-hour mark for Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick to finish cooly.

Rafael Da Silva capped off a dominating first 45 minutes, and when Chris Kirkland failed to return for the second-half it certainly became concerning.

But, although the home side struck twice more after the break, Roberto Martinez's men came back with a bit of bite, wanting to restore pride in their performance and make sure there were some positives to take away from Old Trafford.

Hugo Rodallega, who had thus been frustrated up-front, started to fins space and had a little more time on the ball, and the Colombian was a key part of Latics' best chance, squaring the ball inside to Won-Hee Cho was subsequently set-up the on-rushing Charles N'Zogbia who squeezed wide when really the net should have bulged.

But that wasn't the end of it, Scott Sinclair made his introduction to the game on the hour-mark and looked extremely positive; eager to get hold of the ball and purposeful going forward, and in the process certainly making a claim for the starting line-up.

Titus Bramble, despite seeing five goals go by his defence, also had a solid performance positioning himself inside the area well and putting in more than one well timed challenge.

It was certainly the kind of spirit and confidence the gaffer would have wanted straight from the off, but alas the game had slipped from Latics' grasp by that point.

Overall, however, it wasn't what Martinez will have hoped for or expected as his side were admittedly second best on more than one occasion, and paid the ultimate price as a consequence against a rampant United side high on confidence and offering no mercy.

Man Utd: Kuszcak, R. Da Silva, Brown, Vidic (Anderson 68), Evra (F. Da Silva 68),  Valencia, Fletcher, Carrick, Park, Rooney, Berbatov (Wellbeck 68).

Subs:  Neville, Owen, Anderson, Wellbeck, F. Da Silva, Obertan, Amos.

Wigan: Kirkland (Pollitt, 45), Melchiot, Bramble, Boyce, Figueroa, Gomez, Thomas (Edman 71), Cho, Scharner, N'Zogbia (Sinclair  68), Rodallega.

Subs:  Edman, Amaya, Scotland, Koumas, Sinclair, McCarthy.