Wigan had racked up some truly horrific statistics in their previous fourteen matches against Manchester United, losing every match with an aggregate score of 41-4. Add this to United’s twelve game unbeaten run and the prospect of the Latics adding three vital points to their relegation fund looked highly unlikely.
Yet Wigan have been impressive of late and would have come away from their weekend match at Chelsea with at least a point without some laughable refereeing decisions. They started well here too, hassling the league leaders and winning the ball back quickly before breaking with pace and purpose. United were unable to get out of their own half and Victor Moses thought he had given his side a well-deserved lead when he nodded home a corner just after the half-hour mark. Unfortunately the officials harshly judged that Gary Caldwell had impeded David de Gea, despite only seeming to stand in front of the Spanish goalkeeper.
Moses continued to be a threat and had he been able to combine his obvious firepower with an ounce of brainpower, Wigan could easily have been ahead at the break. Time after time the slippery youngster evaded the United defence only for his final ball to keep letting him down. But despite the veteran Ryan Giggs giving the ball away constantly, and key players like Antonio Valencia struggling to get into the game, the match remained goalless at the break.
Sir Alex Ferguson sent his side out early for the second half, with Tom Cleverley replacing Ashley Young, but it was Wigan who picked up where they had left off. Waves of pressure continued to engulf the visitors and a well-worked short corner by Jean Beausejour slipped in Shaun Maloney whose beautiful curling effort sailed past de Gea and into the far corner to give them a deserved lead.
United were shell-shocked and responded by hauling off the languid Rooney and ineffective Hernandez for Welbeck and Nani. But Wigan continued to press and Johnny Evans was lucky to avoid a second yellow card for a wild lunge on the goal scorer Maloney.
United struggled to force any clear-cut openings, and despite a late penalty shout and a couple of half-chances for Welbeck, slumped to a defeat which sees their lead over Manchester City cut to five points. Wigan move two points clear of the relegation zone, with only their third home win of the season, and boost their chances of escaping relegation.