fa premiership, Matchday 36
JJB Stadium, Wigan, 20.000pm GMT, Wednesday 13th May 2009.
Attendance: 21,286

The View

One more point from two games is all Manchester United require to capture their 18th Top Flight Title, after demonstrating a battling victory finally overcoming Steve Bruce's Wigan Athletic at the JJB Stadium.

United come from behind to seal all three points after goals from Man of the Moment Carlos Tevez & a late 20 yard strike from midfielder Michael Carrick cancelled out Hugo Rodallega's opening goal.

In the dreary Wigan weather, United played some poor football throughout the 1st period with slack passing & poor finishing threatening to derail the push for the title.

SAF opted for at times an awkward narrow looking side with Anderson, Scholes & Carrick in the midfield with the forward positions going to Ronaldo, Berbatov & Wayne Rooney.

With Wigan packing their midfield & United "tucking in" Wigan were a trifle stubborn in their resistance as United struggled to even manage a shot on goal in the 1st half this coupled with poor finishing & adding further to the shock within the 1st two minutes Antonio Valencia, strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford in the summer capitalised on a United defensive mistake leading to a clear run on goall

However the Ecuadorian's run didn't match his finish as a chasing Nemanja Vidic applied just enough pressure to put off the Wigan winger as his shot went wide.

United gathered themselves when Wayne Rooney was supplied a brilliant assist by Dimitar Berbatov but only managed to header his chance horribly wide & Michael Carrick also failed to test second string keeper Richard Kingson after connecting with a Ronaldo cross.

With United's defenders struggling at times to keep on their feet in the wet conditions, it would soon come to haunt them as a routine long ball into the box was contested for by Vidic & Rodallega, the Columbian forward found himself fortunate when Vidic slipped & lost sight of the ball, and after spotting the flight of the ball before the Serbian, Wigan found themselves ahead when Rodallega struck a shot past EVDS's near post for a deserved lead.

Claytunus Calvertus Calvenus

Wasting another golden chance only this time to equalise, Wayne Rooney side footed a shot over after Ronaldo had created some space.

Wigan again saw a admirable chance just before the half time whistle when Rodellega shot wide after great build up play by Valencia and Cattermole.

After bumbling for the 1st ten minutes of the second half, SAF had saw enough after having one of his more poorer game Anderson was taken off in favour of the Apache.

Within 5 minutes the substitution had worked as United drew level with an instinctive piece of improvised skill when Tevez deliberately directed Michael Carrick's shot into the back of the net, the goal was coming and also deserved for the Reds as Tevez made immediate impact with his all energy & action game.

Beginning to control midfield much better than the 1st half both Paul Scholes & Carrick became more influential and United looked more likely to score again when Maynor Figueroa appeared to bundle over Ronaldo in the Wigan penalty area, but referee Rob Styles waved away all remonstrations.

United still searching for all three important points finally got their reward when with less than 5 minutes left JOS after swashbuckling move down the right fed Carrick who smashed in from 20 yards giving Manchester United a six point cushion at the top of the Premiership.

Tevez then proceed to tee up Ronaldo for a gift wrapped chance for a third but the Portuguese star having an off night, blazed wide & after loosing his penalty appeals, striking the wall with two poor free kicks, waiving his arms around in dischuffedness, even SAF showed his disapproval.

However, United ran out the clock taking all three points & requiring only 1 point on Saturday at home against a defensively poor Arsenal side, 

A big & special thank you goes to.........

Ron Snellen	Wojciech Pielok
Dutch Mancunians & Polish Reds

and the following West Cumbria Reds.

Grant	Kevin	Steve	Patty	Neal	Ged	Tanner
Abbott	Craig	Niffy	Peter	Trevor	Manc Grant	Toddy

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