Dalot steadies nerves as United take care of business at Wigan

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates scoring his spot kick.

It is the time of year that the Alex Ferguson origin story gets its annual dusting down, 33 years on from the Mark Robins goal at Nottingham Forest that saved his fledgling Manchester United management career and launched a dynasty.

Those may not have been the stakes up for grabs in the third round trip to nearby rivals Wigan last night, but Diogo Dalot’s first half goal steadied the nerves of Erik ten Hag as he negotiates the early days of the new ownership reign of Jim Ratcliffe and Dave Brailsord.

With an equally unwelcome fourth round trip to Eastleigh or Newport County awaiting the winners, Dalot steadied the nerves of the huge contingent of travelling United supporters with his excellent effort.

But many of the old frailties and concerns that have dogged ten Hag’s team this season were again widely on display, not least in their abysmal finishing that left a tie that should have been over well before the interval hanging in the balance for far too long.

Finally, in the 73rd minute, Bruno Fernandes put the tie behind doubt when he nonchalantly rolled the ball in from the penalty spot, an award he had won himself when tripped carelessly by Liam Shaw.

United looked well in control from the midway point of the first half when they took the lead against their League One hosts, a goal that had been building for some time.

The pace and urgency that United’s attackers showed was not only in contrast to so many of their recent displays but also far too much for defenders from two divisions below to handle.

It was a minor surprise, therefore, that it took until the 22nd minute for full-back Dalot to pop this particular FA Cup balloon, as United again broke in numbers with Fernandes sending Alejandro Garnacho down there right.

Wigan did well to defend his cross, and a follow-up shot from Marcus Rashford, but the England man was able to touch the rebound back to Dalot who curled in a superb shot from 18 yards into the far corner.

It was a shot that Wigan keeper Sam Tickle had no hope of saving and, to his credit, his display had largely kept his side in the tie to that point. And when his ability finally let him down, he probably therefore deserved the large slice of luck that came his way.

On 35 minutes, the keeper could only parry Rashford’s powerful, swerving strike and, with the goal apparently at his mercy, the ball ricocheted off the legs of Rasmus Hojlund and behind four a goal kick.

The ball was travelling at some speed towards the Danish striker, and his blushes were eventually spared by an offside flag, but the miss summed up the woes he has been experiencing in his debut English season.

So, too, did his miss moments later when Garnacho, not for the first time, easily best his full-backs down the right and crossed to the near-post where Hojlund and Scott McTominay, between them, failed to convert.

It was all a little predictable, despite some admirable flashes of FA Cup underdog spirit from Shaun Maloney’s club, still trading off the famous Cup Final victory over Manchester City in 2013 and a fifth round win over the same opponents five years later.

There looked little danger of that against the other Manchester side, although while the misses piled up, there was always the danger of United being made to pay by a freak counter-attack.

It might have happened on 28 minutes when Stephen Humphrys drove across the face of the area and shot just wide, with Martial Godo inexplicably failing to steer the ball in as it passed him on the six-yard line.

At the other end, meanwhile, the chances kept on coming … and going. Just after the goal, a powerful hit from Rashford forced a rare error out of Tickle, who fumbled the ball against the foot of his post but managed to recover in time to scramble off his line.

Fernandes and Rashford soon combined to set up Hojlund, who was denied by the keeper’s outstretched leg, a Hojlund close-range header clipped the bar and Garnacho did likewise from the edge of the area with a majestic effort.

Garnacho, on this sort of form and against this level of opponent, looked nigh on unplayable.

But, for all their dominance, it was an all too familiar story of recent United performances as they failed to turn some pacy, bright build-up play and possession into goals - as nine away goals from 10 away games in the Premier League this season testifies.

Rashford opened the second half with more of the same, receiving Dalot’s intelligent pass and darting to the edge of the box before planting his effort wide.

But there was also the occasional reminder that a one-goal lead might not be sufficient, with Godo, for the second time, wasting a chance with a hurried non-effort, this time after good work from Thelo Aasgaard.

Back in attack, Kobbie Mainoo saw a shot well saved, McTominay scooped an effort high over the goal and Fernandes saw an opportunistic effort deflected just wide.

Wigan (4-2-3-1): Tickle 8; Clare 5, Hughes 6, Morrison 6, Sessegnon 5; Shaw 5 (Smith 78, 5), Adeeko 6; Godo 5 (Lang 90), Aasgaard 7, Jones 6 (McManaman 78, 5); Humphrys 7 (Magennis 59 5). Substitutes (not used) Amos, Kerr, Carragher, Robinson, Wyke.

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Onana 6; Wan-Bissaka 6, Varane 6, Evans 7, Dalot 7 (Kambwala 83); McTominay 5, Mainoo 7; Garnacho 9 (Pellistri 87), Fernandes 8, Rashford 7 (Forson 90); Hojlund 5 (Mejbri 90). Substitutes (not used) Bayindir, Heaton, Shoretire, Hugill, Bennett.

Referee: A Taylor 7