Premier League - Deadly United blitz Wigan

Eurosport - Sun, 23 Aug 07:45:00 2009

A second-half goal blitz saw Manchester United put their Premier League campaign back on track with a 5-0 win at Wigan Athletic.

2009-2010 Wigan-Manchester United Nani Wayne Rooney - 0

Three goals in seven minutes; two from Wayne Rooney (pictured, right), either side of a strike from the excellent Dimitar Berbatov, helped the champions eased to victory at the DW Stadium.

Substitute Michael Owen added some gloss late on, converting his first goal for the club with a typically measured finish, and Nani (pictured, left) curled in a stoppage-time free-kick.

Although Sir Alex Ferguson's side coasted to victory, nerves were starting to build after 56 goalless minutes, coming hot on the heels of a 1-0 defeat at Burnley in midweek.

The perpetrators of Wednesday's worst misses, Owen and Michael Carrick, were dropped from the first team - Carrick did not even appear on the bench.

Berbatov replaced Owen and displayed energy and imagination in an encouraging performance. He backheeled to Paul Scholes in the seventh minute, but the normally deadly midfielder blazed a glorious chance over from the edge of the box.

Wigan had already had one lucky escape by that stage, with Nani's fifth-minute cross finding Darren Fletcher, whose low show was blocked superbly by Titus Bramble.

The visitors continued to make all the running, with Rooney turning his man before shooting at Chris Kirkland, and Berbatov also heading straight to the Wigan goalkeeper.

Jason Koumas responded by bursting past Nemanja Vidic and curling a right-foot shot that Ben Foster did well to claw away for a corner, but United remained on top.

However, they could not get over their impotence in front of goal, which was characterised when Rooney ran on to a sumptuous long through ball, but shot low at Kirkland's legs when clean through.

No sooner had the second half started than another chance went begging as Valencia headed down for Rooney, who miscued his volley.

Just as the familiar arguments were being rehearsed about the impossibility of replacing Cristiano Ronaldo's goals, Rooney struck.

On 56 minutes, Antonio Valencia clipped in a right-sided cross against his former club, and Rooney rose to direct a firm header into the top-left corner and score his 100th goal for the Reds.

A minute later Wigan nearly levelled when Hugo Rodallega's looping header was saved well by Foster following a fine diagonal cross by Koumas.

Undeterred, United marched down the other end and made it two in breathtaking fashion.

Rooney found Scholes with a first-time ball and Scholes clipped a lob over the top for Berbatov. The Bulgarian lifted the ball over the onrushing Kirkland, met it on its way down and finished from a few yards.

By 65 minutes, it was game over, as Berbatov found Rooney on the left, and the England striker found the left corner via Mario Melchiot's shin.

There was still time for substitute Owen to net his first goal for United, running on to a Nani through-ball and clipping a deft left-foot shot in off the far post.

Nani himself scored the fifth, curling a 25-yard free-kick past the statuesque Kirkland.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 379 - 398 of 398

Sort comments by: Most recent
  1. It took United 10 minutes longer to score their 5 goals­ against Wigan than the 5 they scored against Tottenham­ at Old Trafford last season, but they still managed to­ do it in little over 1/2 an hour. Just shows that you­ can never write United off.
    The match against Arsenal­ should be a cracker. Arsenal look very impressive but­ haven't been seriously tested yet, so this will be­ the first real test of their title aspirations as well­ as United's.

    From Dino, on Tue 25 Aug 12:47PM
  2. dazmanutd...can you admit that the one trick pony show­ is over though? Can you? That's fact, let's see­ you do it again this season. Every empire has it's­ fall.

    From Dale, on Mon 24 Aug 8:33PM
  3. it's game on with United, Arsenal brace yourselves­ for the first defeat of the season.United forever.

    From smanyumwa, on Mon 24 Aug 8:42AM
  4. 422 @#$% head.

    From Roughie Toughie Northerner, on Sun 23 Aug 10:35PM
  5. glory glory man united all teams are forever in our­ massive shadow especially the council dustbin house­ pillocks

    From DAZGGMU-RED-LEGEND-OF-YAHOO, on Sun 23 Aug 9:39PM
  6. Same old story. They like to dish it out but know­ they're on a loser.

    From Stevie O Jay, on Sun 23 Aug 9:34PM
  7. phil i meant to say dale a is a gooner sorry for the­ spelling mistake the rest about him talking @#$% is­ true

    From DAZGGMU-RED-LEGEND-OF-YAHOO, on Sun 23 Aug 9:05PM
  8. stevie ojay keep dishing it out mate if they dont like­ it tell them to get the f==k out of dodge the arsewipes­ ha ha

    From DAZGGMU-RED-LEGEND-OF-YAHOO, on Sun 23 Aug 9:04PM
  9. phil dale a is a gonner pal he talks a lot of waffle­ about our demise considering his team have won jackshit­ for 5 seasons running he thinks he is the football­ oracle of yahoo its a pity his team cant give him­ anything to shout about for real aint it

    From DAZGGMU-RED-LEGEND-OF-YAHOO, on Sun 23 Aug 9:03PM
  10. Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

    Latest News From­ ITN 1 hour ago.

    Steven Gerrard sued over bar­ brawl

    The man punched in a nightclub by England and­ Liverpool football star Steven Gerrard is launching a­ civil action against the player and six of his friends.­ Gerrard was cleared of affray last month following the­ attack on businessman Marcus McGee, but six of the­ Liverpool midfielder's friends received suspended­ jail terms and community service.

    Mr McGee, who lost a­ front tooth and suffered facial cuts in the fight last­ December, has told lawyers to begin civil action for­ compensation for the injuries he received.

    The father­ of two from Southport told a Sunday newspaper:­ "I've got dental bills and legal fees arising­ from what happened. But, more importantly, I don't­ think that justice was properly served."

    See­ Ferg?
    Marcus Mc Gee = not a patsy
    Patsypool fans =­ are all patsies

    From Stevie O Jay, on Sun 23 Aug 8:53PM
  11. Ferg, why don't you name yourself Benny, after your­ own fat waiter instead of gloryhunting and trying to­ associate yourself with the success ot the greatest­ manager of all time?

    The waiter threw a party at the­ Lounge Inn jail.
    Stevie O’Jay was there and he began to­ wail.
    The band was jumpin' and Stevie began to­ swing.
    You should've heard those knocked out­ patsies sing.

    Let's BOOOO,
    Every fan let's­ BOOOOO.
    Every fan in the Premier League,
    BOOOO him to­ the Jailhouse BOOOOOs.

    I’ll tell you what Benny, I’ll­ stop the record when I notice that Patsypool fans stop­ their record and stop walking on with hope in their­ hearts ie we nearly did it last season, we’ll win the­ league next season, we nearly did it last season, we’ll­ win the league next season, we nearly did it last­ season, we’ll win the league next season, we nearly did­ it last season, we’ll win the league next season, we­ nearly did it last season, we’ll win the league next­ season, we nearly did it last season, we’ll win the­ league next season, we nearly did it last season, we’ll­ win the league next season, we nearly did it last­ season, we’ll win the league next season etc, etc, etc.­

    Okay?

    From Stevie O Jay, on Sun 23 Aug 8:03PM
  12. Ferg # 369 - ” And "Steve O Jay",­­ you're still coming out with all this­­ "patsy" boll.ocks. Change the record will­­ you. “

    Why?

    ‘Manchester United immediately suspended­­ the player for the remainder of the season and fined­­ him the maximum amount they could - two weeks wages­­ (about £20,000). He later appeared before the courts­­ charged with common assault. Found guilty, he was­­ originally sentenced by Croydon Magistrates to two­­ weeks in prison which, on appeal, was reduced to 120­­ hours community service. An FA Disciplinary hearing­­ also extended his worldwide playing ban to 30th­­ September and fined him a further £10,000.’
    ‘However­­ Matthew Simmons, the Palace fan, was found guilty of­­ provoking the attack and was fined £500 and banned­ from­ all football for 12 months. He was also jailed­ for a­ week for jumping a bench in court to attack a­­ prosecuting solicitor!’

    What I’m trying to say is­ that­ Mr Cantona did the crime and his time like a man,­ unlike me.­

    Where as in my case I involved a load of­ my drunken­ patsy mates, got them to plead guilty after­ all of us­ punched up an innocent member of the public­ when he­ wouldn't play my music ( boo hoo ) and my­ club have­ backed me all the way. He didn’t say to me­ 'F?u*k­ off back to France, you French­ motherf?*ker', or­ 'French b*%£ard' or­ anything like that . I­ weaselled out of it by pleading­ innocent and my silly­ mates are all going down. Fools.­ Ha, ha.

    Shows you­ what sort of standards my club has­ and the sort of­ person I am, doesn’t it? Ha,­ ha.

    Good, you're beginning to understand if­ it's­ beginning to get to you. I am a disgrace to­ your club­ and I'm still your captain. Ha, ha.­ Liverpool FC­ must have no standards at all, ....­ none,.... nothing­ at all. It seems like all their­ silly fans have no­ standards either. This is why­ you’re all patsies. You all should be ashamed of­ yourselves.

    From Stevie O Jay, on Sun 23 Aug 7:37PM
  13. MAN united gonna win the EPL title... yeah!!!!

    From jeli, on Sun 23 Aug 5:24PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    MAN CITY THE REAL MANCHESTER TEAM ARE STILL ABOVE THE­ THE MUNICHS THERE ALWAYS BE 2nd RATE FROM NOW ON­ WITHOUT RONALDO N THE MUNICHS LOST TEVES NOW THERE­ JUST W A N KERS

    From mcpluker, on Sun 23 Aug 1:03PM
  15. Arsenal win 4:1 and sit above Man Utd with a game in­ hand and their comments are nt up to 100 (the last i­ checked). United beat Wigan silly and there are over­ 400 comments here. Isn't it great to be a champion?­ Everyone, including the good, the 'senseless'­ and the ugly wants to identify with U

    From okparajerry, on Sun 23 Aug 12:41PM
  16. rUSSELL L =cowardly little racist

    From Bob B, on Sun 23 Aug 11:36AM
  17. Comment 416 - Spot on Kingsley. Accurate and excellent­ comment. Carrick can only pass a ball accurately if he­ is given half an hour to make the pass.

    From BRIAN, on Sun 23 Aug 10:47AM
  18. united rule!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From Dempsey, on Sun 23 Aug 10:19AM
  19. there will be alot more of this to come.just wait

    From alaa_jundi44, on Sun 23 Aug 10:09AM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Keep Carrick away from the team. I know Scholes cannot­ play every game, but you saw the difference in the­ quality of his passes. Carrick finds a way to disappear­ during games, Scholes wants to be in every play.

    From Kingsley, on Sun 23 Aug 9:35AM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account