by Shaun Maloney wanted to see if the team he supported as a boy could compete with the side he coaches as an adult. The answer was overwhelmingly positive, unfortunately for the Wigan Athletic manager, as Manchester United avoided a third round upset and further torment for Erik ten Hag with a professional job at the DW Stadium.
A fine finish from Diogo Dalot and the softest of penalties for Bruno Fernandes secured United a quarter-final trip to either Newport County League Two or Eastleigh of the National League. The visitors dominated Wigan, who were hoping for another FA Cup scalp ahead of their biggest home attendance in a decade but only threatened one from the first attack. The gulf between the Premier League and League One was telling, although Wigan saved a bigger penalty due to United’s misery in front of the goal.
“We should have scored more but the good thing is that we created the chances,” said Ten Hag, who went as strong as possible with his starting line-up despite losing eight players through injury and illness. . “It’s a huge competition and everyone wants to win the FA Cup. We take it seriously.” United must, as it’s their only chance of ending another tough season with silverware.
Ineos executives Dave Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc took a front seat in the directors’ box, along with former United CEO David Gill, as they continued their review of the inner workings of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s latest investment. It was an uncomfortable opening for the visitors as Wigan almost scored from their first attack. A counter attack was led by Martial Godo and he picked out Thelo Aasgaard unmarked with a low cross to the back post. André Onana needed a fine save to prevent the converted Liverpool and Norway under-21 international from shooting for the first time. Wigan didn’t know it, but their best chance was gone.
Maloney admitted: “It might have changed the dynamic of the game at that time but United had a lot of chances. It was a big chance but I can’t criticize the team’s effort. It was difficult at times but I hope our players get a lot out of it.”
Wigan were confident and positive in possession with Fulham loanee Godo prominent, but United’s better technique and movement gradually told. The visitors should have been out of sight by the interval but a combination of poor form, goalkeeping and bad luck denied the Ten Hag side a narrow one-goal advantage.
United took the lead through a superb finish from Dalot. Marcus Rashford put the left back up when his initial shot was blocked by defender Liam Morrison. There was a full penalty area between Dalot and the goal but he curled a precise shot past Wigan goalkeeper Sam Tickle into the bottom corner.
Rashford was involved in most of United’s best moments but, equally, he was also wasted given the amount of possession he received. He brought the first save from Tickle with a low shot which the keeper responded sharply and almost doubled the visitors’ lead when Tickle hit the striker’s shot against the post. To Wigan’s relief, the keeper was unable to retrieve the ball before it crossed the line.
Tickle denied Rasmus Højlund with his feet and he got the change again when he curled a shot from Rashford straight into the path of the Denmark forward. The ball hit Højlund and it hit Tickle’s goal wide. Alejandro Garnacho hit the crossbar from distance and Scott McTominay missed another clear opening when he launched himself at Fernandes’ cross only to head home from close range.
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United continued to dominate possession after the break but were almost punished for the fundamental error of falling asleep during Wigan’s throw-in. Aasgaard got away from Jonny Evans to the byline and headed for Godo, perfectly placed on the penalty spot and also left unmarked by the United defence. The winger took his shot badly off target.
The impressive Kobbie Mainoo pressured Tickle into a low save and made a crucial interception to stop Godo’s surge into the United area as Wigan made a rare break. The away fans’ irritation at Rashford’s casual approach was significant and the tie somehow remained in the balance.
The England international produced an impressive response, however, and was instrumental in United’s second goal. Rashford burst past Sean Clare to the byline and having previously run the ball out of play or shot into the Wigan defenders, he pulled a smart ball back to Fernandes. Liam Shaw stretched out a leg in an attempt to intercept Rashford’s pass and that was all the invitation the United captain needed to go to ground after touching the little finger.
The referee, Anthony Taylor, took his time before pointing to the spot, to the embarrassment of most of the DW Stadium, and Fernandes ignored the jumpers to send Tickle the wrong way with a cool penalty into the bottom corner.
