Hugo Rodallega impressed on his return to the starting XI

Latics battled their way to another well-earned point at a noisy Britannia Stadium. The visitors took the lead late in the first half and things were going swimmingly right up until Caldwell’s 76th minute sending off, which began a frantic 20-minute period with two penalties and three goals.

Hugo Rodallega returned to the Latics first team ahead of Conor Sammon, who could have started as the red card he received at Old Trafford last week was rescinded by the FA. In a rare change of lineup, however, Martinez opted for the Colombian, and will be glad he did as Rodders had a big hand in his side’s first goal. Victor Moses was the beneficiary, stealing in to slot away his second of the season off the underside of the crossbar bang on 45 minutes. Hugo provided the cross from the right wing, and for once a Wigan man was ready and waiting to knock home a great ball across goal.

The visitors weathered much of Stoke’s early pressure, but their job was made easier by the lack of shots on target. That’s not to say Al Habsi and the Wigan defence didn’t have anything to do, however – far from it. The Omani shot-stopper was called into action on numerous occasions to parry the many high balls into his goalmouth, and Caldwell and Alcaraz were made to hammer the ball clear more than once.

Wigan’s typical breakaway strategy was somewhat tempered by the challenge of a narrow pitch, Moses forced to come infield and pass backwards more often than not. On the other wing, Stam experienced some success, but by the 41st minute he was sufficiently frustrated to wallop the ball into the stand and received a yellow card for his troubles. He needed not worry too much, though, because Wigan were to end the half 1-0 to the good thanks to a well-worked Moses goal.

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Who needs Rooney when you have Berbatov?

Before today’s game, it had been precisely five years since Wigan’s last goal at Old Trafford. A Leighton Baines penalty on Boxing Day 2006 had no effect on that match’s final outcome, as Latics went on to lose the game 3-1. Still, it was the closest Wigan have ever come to tasting any sort of success in Salford. Actually, in their Premier League lives, Wigan have beaten Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, but have never taken a single point from Manchester United. One would have thought our Mancunian cousins might have slipped up at least once in that time, but on each occasion, without fail, fortune has deserted Latics.

It transpired to be another difficult afternoon for Wigan, with a bit of bad defending and bad luck contributing to an on-song United’s often sublime football to ensure an expected defeat for Latics. It wasn’t entirely embarrassing, however – when one has lost 9-1 and 8-0 in recent seasons, 5-0 is almost nothing, especially when you’ve been reduced to ten men with over a half of football to play.

The hosts were initially happy for their opponents to keep the ball, as if to say “show us what you’ve got”. But any headway Latics might have made with one or two early charges forward were soon put into perspective with a rather soft 5th minute Ji-Sung Park goal. Well, at least that was the obligatory early goal against out of the way. Still shaken, the Wigan back line was being breached all too easily by Park, Giggs and Nani to name but a few. Alex Ferguson’s four pre-match changes seemed to have no negative effect on his side’s attacking threat, which Wigan would have to endure plenty of in the first twenty minutes.

The visitors had their best chance to date on 24 minutes via a free kick in dangerous territory, but it came to nothing as Gomez’s shot cannoned straight into the wall. Soon after, Victor Moses showed a little of what he can do by earning his side a corner, but this second set piece in the space of three minutes would also be successfully defended by the hosts.

Latics were finding some confidence going forward, Ronnie Stam in particular having a good time on the right hand side. His 30th minute ball across the face of goal could have yielded an equaliser, had Moses or Sammon been in the right position to slot it away. It wasn’t an isolated incident, either, as the Dutchman often found himself in the position to deliver a telling cross towards the back end of the half. Still no goals, however, and you felt they would be rather precious for the visitors this afternoon.

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Al Habsi was the undoubted saviour of a point for Wigan

Ali Al Habsi was once again the hero as Latics picked up another useful point against top-four challenging Liverpool. Though the visitors largely bossed proceedings, the game could have gone either way thanks to the Muscat-born shot stopper, who made eight saves to keep his side in the contest. Most pertinent was his right-handed punch to keep Charlie Adam’s 51st minute penalty from finding the back of the North Stand net, though it was his performance over the 90 minutes that earned him a deserved man of the match award.

The Wigan starting lineup remained unchanged once more, with David Jones covering at left back alongside Figueroa, Caldwell and Alcaraz. Diame and McCarthy took up position in the heart of midfield, while Jordi Gomez had free reign in the centre of the park. Much as on Saturday afternoon, Conor Sammon played a bustling ‘battering ram’ role, paving the way for the fresh legs of Rodallega and Di Santo to push for late goals.

It was all Liverpool in the first half hour, penning a nervous Wigan firmly into their own penalty area with some relentless attacking play. Al Habsi was made to earn his money with a string of saves during a hectic period which saw the hosts’ goalmouth peppered. Henderson was the first to test the Wigan keeper, his right-footed shot fisted away for a corner. Dirk Kuyt was next to produce a strike of note with a short-range effort just to the left of Al Habsi, who managed to shovel the ball out for David Jones to clear. Wigan’s clean sheet was still intact, for the time being at least.

Liverpool’s best chance of the half fell to Glen Johnson, who was also foiled by the on-song Latics keeper. The England international latched onto a Wigan clearance and worked his way past McCarthy before playing a quality one-two to find himself one-on-one with Al Habsi. Luckily for the home side, the Omani closed down well to block the effort and deny Liverpool a deserved goal.

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Marmite Man Gomez strikes again: that's four in five now for the Spaniard

The Latics produced another late strike to rescue a deserved point against third-placed Chelsea. With but minutes remaining, Jordi Gomez was on hand to slot away Petr Cech’s fumble and cancel out Daniel Sturridge’s 59th minute sidefoot past Ali Al Habsi. In what was initially a turgid meeting, neither side really hit their straps but the second half was a much sprightlier affair which produced two goals and a modicum of excitement.

An unchanged Wigan were quicker out of the blocks, finding themselves with some possession in the first five minutes to settle their nerves. Chelsea countered with their own spell of dominance, but, like their hosts, could not muster any shots on target. Sturridge threatened, but saw two of his crosses headed away by Gary Caldwell in the space of a minute. Former Barca defensive midfielder Oriel Romeu forced Al Habsi into the only save of the first half, while Didier Drogba went closest for the Pensioners with a header just past the post on 38 minutes.

Wigan’s only shot in the first stanza came from Mo Diame, whose strike caught the wrong side of his boot and sliced wide of Cech’s left upright. Victor Moses was arguably closer to opening the scoring for the home side with what would have been the last kick of the half. David Jones flashed a decent ball across the face of goal and the Anglo-Nigerian was just inches from poking it into the net and sending his team into the break 1-0 to the good.

A relatively even first half –at least in terms of chances– made way for a similarly equal second stanza. Though Chelsea finished the game with marginally more possession (47%-53%), their inability to create the chances was reminiscent of Wigan just one month ago. Fortunes are beginning to change at the DW however, and one should write them off at one’s own peril.

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