From derby agony to level pegging
Before their 4-1 victory over Wolves on December 10, United trailed the current league leaders by five points and 17 goals.
Now, all that separates United manager Alex Ferguson from the top spot, with one game remaining in 2011, are five goals in the goal difference column — the margin of defeat at Old Trafford in that fateful derby in October.
United, who also benefited from goals from Ji-Sung Park and Antonio Valencia, have now won eight and drawn one of the nine league games they have played since the derby debacle and few would bet against Ferguson, who celebrates his 70th birthday on Saturday, also celebrating a record 20th league title for his club in May.
“As I say, it’s a long season,” said Ferguson. “If we get to New Year’s Day top, or joint top with City, then I will be happy.
“I’ve been saying for a few weeks that somebody was going to suffer against us and we’ve really hit good form now and got a goal threat from all departments.
“The clean sheet was a good part of the game for us and the consistency of the team is very good now. The injuries are mounting up for us now — Phil Jones was down ill, Chris Smalling was ill, Rio Ferdinand called off with a back injury and Jonny Evans came off injured at half-time. We’re getting our fair share.”
Yesterday’s step towards retaining the title was all the more impressive given that illness and injury forced Ferguson into playing Valencia and Michael Carrick in his back four while the manager’s decision to rest Wayne Rooney meant just a second league start of the season for Berbatov — who now has four goals to his name.
Yet United were also aided, in small part, by referee Phil Dowd who harshly dismissed the Wigan’s Irish forward Conor Sammon after 38 minutes when he caught Carrick in the face with a flailing arm.
“The red card was just a shocking decision,” said Wigan manager Roberto Martinez. “Football is a contact sport and you need to measure really well what is a red card and what’s not.
“You know what Conor Sammon and Michael Carrick did today is a normal action that happens time and time again. I was surprised when he gave a free-kick. To see a red card, I was gobsmacked.”
By that stage, Wigan were already in trouble thanks to Park’s opening goal, although the hard work had been done by United left-back Patrice Evra who ghosted past Victor Moses and Antolin Alcaraz on his way to the byline in the seventh minute.
The Frenchman picked out the unmarked Park with a perfect pass and the midfielder completed the simple task of guiding the ball into the Wigan goal from 10 yards.
It was the start of an afternoon of relentless United pressure against a Wigan side that had done well in drawing with Chelsea and Liverpool on its last two outings, although it took until three minutes after the Sammon dismissal for the Reds to double their lead.
Darron Gibson crossed from the right and, after Javier Hernandez had allowed the ball past him, Berbatov held off Alcaraz and waited for the ball to come down before converting from two yards.
United opened the second period in similarly dominant fashion and Park should have secured a third goal for his team but headed too close to Ali Al-Habsi from eight yards before Berbatov plundered his second, United’s third, after 58 minutes following a through ball from Valencia. The Bulgarian shrugged off Gary Caldwell far too easily before turning and poking the ball in from 12 yards.
Al-Habsi had to show lightning reflexes to stop Hernandez’s close-range shot with his leg after the Mexican diverted a shot from substitute Wayne Rooney in the 68th minute but two goals in the space of two minutes late in the game, however, more than made up for such profligacy.
In the 75th minute, Carrick turned the ball into the path of Valencia, from Caldwell’s headed clearance, and the full-back advanced into the area before unleashing an unstoppable shot from 15 yards.
Barely were the celebrations for that goal over than Alcaraz tripped Park on the edge of the Wigan area — a harsh decision as replays suggested the foul may have been just outside the area — presenting Berbatov with the opportunity to complete his hat-trick from the penalty spot with a nonchalant finish.
MAN UTD (4-4-2): Lindegaard 6; Valencia 7, Evans 6 (Fryers 46, 6), Carrick 7, Evra 6; Park 7, Gibson 7, Giggs 7 (Rooney 63, 6), Nani 6 (Macheda 63, 6); Berbatov 9, Hernandez 8.
Wigan (5-3-2): Al Habsi 7; Stam 7, Alcaraz 4, Caldwell 5, Figueroa 6, Jones 5; Diame 7 (Di Santo 46, 5), McCarthy 6, Gomez 5 (McArthur 71, 6); Moses 5 (Rodallega 80), Sammon 4.
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire) 5.
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