Manchester United continued their dominant form with a resounding 5-0 win over relegation strugglers Wigan Athletic on Boxing Day.
Dimitar Berbatov netted a hat-trick for United, while Park Ji-Sung and Antonio Valencia also got themselves on the score sheet. Striker Connor Sammon was sent off for Wigan, who are now left deep in the relegation mire.
United have now drawn level on points with league leading Manchester City, after the Citizens were held to a 0-0 draw at West Bromwich Albion.
Wigan are left in the relegation zone one point adrift of safety. Wolverhampton Wanderers and Queens Park Rangers are the teams directly above Wigan, and will play tomorrow at Arsenal and Swansea City respectively.
United entered this game looking for a fourth straight win, while Wigan will have had their confidence boosted by draws against Chelsea and Liverpool in their previous two games.
The defending champions started in an aggressive manner, and took the lead in the eighth minute. Defender Patrice Evra surged forward down the left flank, and his neat cutback was finished well by Park.
Despite being on the back foot, Wigan created a chance to equalize after 15 minutes. Ronnie Stam sent over an inviting cross from the right flank, but Sammon miscued his header at the back post. Things got worse for Sammon six minutes before half-time, when he was given his marching orders for an elbow on Michael Carrick.
United capitalized quickly on their man advantage, and Berbatov latched onto a Javier Hernandez flick to double United’s lead before the interval.
Berbatov netted his second goal 13 minutes after the restart when he collected an Antonio Valencia pass before firing past Ali Al Habsi.
United then scored two goals inside of three minutes to round out the convincing 5-0 score line. First Valancia fired a stinging drive home after being set up by Carrick, and then Berbatov completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Park was fouled by Antolin Alcaraz.
The win means United have now won their last four games by a combined score of 17-1, and have chipped away at City’s goal difference advantage while drawing level on points.
If United contine in this form, then the city of Manchester could provide fans up and down England with a thrilling title race.
LINEUPS
MAN – Lindegaard, Evra, Evans (Fryers 46), Giggs (Rooney 64), Park Ji-Sung, Carrick, Nani (Macheda 64), Valencia, Gibson, Berbatov, Hernandez.
WIG – Al Habsi, Alcaraz, Caldwell, Stam, Figueroa, McCarthy, Moses (Rodallega 80), Gomez (McArthur 71), Jones, Diame (Di Santo 46), Sammon.
SCORING SUMMARY
MAN – Park Ji-Sung (Patrice Evra) 8’
MAN – Dimitar Berbatov (Darron Gibson) 41’
MAN – Dimitar Berbatov (Antonio Valencia) 58’
MAN – Antonio Valencia (Michael Carrick) 75’
MAN – Dimitar Berbatov (Park Ji-Sung) 78’
LiveSoccerTV Man of the Match: Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United)
Attendance: 75,183
United have now drawn level on points with league leading Manchester City, after the Citizens were held to a 0-0 draw at West Bromwich Albion.
Wigan are left in the relegation zone one point adrift of safety. Wolverhampton Wanderers and Queens Park Rangers are the teams directly above Wigan, and will play tomorrow at Arsenal and Swansea City respectively.
United entered this game looking for a fourth straight win, while Wigan will have had their confidence boosted by draws against Chelsea and Liverpool in their previous two games.
The defending champions started in an aggressive manner, and took the lead in the eighth minute. Defender Patrice Evra surged forward down the left flank, and his neat cutback was finished well by Park.
Despite being on the back foot, Wigan created a chance to equalize after 15 minutes. Ronnie Stam sent over an inviting cross from the right flank, but Sammon miscued his header at the back post. Things got worse for Sammon six minutes before half-time, when he was given his marching orders for an elbow on Michael Carrick.
United capitalized quickly on their man advantage, and Berbatov latched onto a Javier Hernandez flick to double United’s lead before the interval.
Berbatov netted his second goal 13 minutes after the restart when he collected an Antonio Valencia pass before firing past Ali Al Habsi.
United then scored two goals inside of three minutes to round out the convincing 5-0 score line. First Valancia fired a stinging drive home after being set up by Carrick, and then Berbatov completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Park was fouled by Antolin Alcaraz.
The win means United have now won their last four games by a combined score of 17-1, and have chipped away at City’s goal difference advantage while drawing level on points.
If United contine in this form, then the city of Manchester could provide fans up and down England with a thrilling title race.
LINEUPS
MAN – Lindegaard, Evra, Evans (Fryers 46), Giggs (Rooney 64), Park Ji-Sung, Carrick, Nani (Macheda 64), Valencia, Gibson, Berbatov, Hernandez.
WIG – Al Habsi, Alcaraz, Caldwell, Stam, Figueroa, McCarthy, Moses (Rodallega 80), Gomez (McArthur 71), Jones, Diame (Di Santo 46), Sammon.
SCORING SUMMARY
MAN – Park Ji-Sung (Patrice Evra) 8’
MAN – Dimitar Berbatov (Darron Gibson) 41’
MAN – Dimitar Berbatov (Antonio Valencia) 58’
MAN – Antonio Valencia (Michael Carrick) 75’
MAN – Dimitar Berbatov (Park Ji-Sung) 78’
LiveSoccerTV Man of the Match: Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United)
Attendance: 75,183
