United fortunate to reclaim second

Wigan 1 Man United 2: Wigan suffered injury-time heartbreak at the JJB Stadium as Pascal Chimbonda's own goal gifted Manchester United a victory they did not deserve.

The Latics threw off the disappointment of their Carling Cup defeat to the same opponents eight days ago and dominated throughout.

It looked as though Paul Scharner's opener would be enough to secure victory but Cristiano Ronaldo levelled after Ruud van Nistelrooy's introduction and then Chimbonda was cruelly unable to keep the ball out after Saha's deflected shot had bounced back off the woodwork and struck him as he was racing back to clear.

Ferguson caused a minor sensation when he left the Dutch striker out of his side for last Sunday's Carling Cup final but judging by comments from the forward in Holland last week, Van Nistelrooy expected to regain his spot for the north-west derby at the JJB Stadium.

Instead, Ferguson stuck with the same starting line-up that recorded such a clinical victory at the Millennium Stadium, with Louis Saha preferred in attack.

Wigan made two changes, one forced on manager Paul Jewell as John Filan replaced hamstring injury victim Mike Pollitt in goal. Lee McCulloch also came in for Stephane Henchoz.

There was no sign of a Carling Cup hangover from the hosts, who pressurised Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown at every opportunity during the early stages.

Latics skipper Arjan de Zeeuw was rightly cautioned for wiping Cristiano Ronaldo out by the touchline.

The Portuguese winger, who irritated Wigan with his tricks in Cardiff, did not endear himself to the home fans when he fell to the floor inside the area after minimal contact from Jason Roberts.

Referee Steve Bennett played an excellent advantage after Roberts and Ferdinand had tangled inside the United half, but when Henri Camara fed Gary Teale, the Scotland international screwed a poor shot high and wide.

Ronaldo's 20-yard free-kick dipped wickedly at the last second but Filan appeared to have it covered as it whistled over the crossbar.

It took an unconvincing touch from Ferdinand to take Camara's cross away from Roberts, then Teale fired over after Leighton Baines had picked him out inside the box.

Disaster almost struck for the visitors after Gary Neville had needlessly conceded a corner with an aimless 40-yard back-pass.

De Zeeuw climbed highest to nod it back into the danger zone, Camara then headed it towards goal before Roberts, barely a yard out and with his back to goal, applied the final touch, which went straight into the hands of Edwin van der Sar.

Graham Kavanagh was booked for a foul on Saha, who had hardly had a touch. This time, Ronaldo's free-kick was well off-target.Ferdinand was forced into a hurried clearance as Wigan continued to press but then Ronaldo and Rooney combined in sensational fashion, exchanging pinpoint passes on a 50-yard dart up field.

At one point, Rooney seemed certain to let fly but instead attempted to feed an unmarked Saha, only to roll his pass to far in front of the Frenchman.

Wigan were providing much more threat than in the two previous games between the sides this season, both of which ended in four goal defeats, and McCulloch unleashed a 20-yard effort Van der Sar was glad to see flash wide.

Brown then needed to use all his pace to prevent Roberts reaching a Bullard ball over the top before Camara's shot flew over off Ferdinand.

Camara should have hit the target when Paul Scharner headed Pascal Chimbonda's cross neatly into his path. Instead, the Senegal front-man stabbed his shot narrowly wide.

Kavanagh fired over from 25 yards after Camara had laid Chimbonda's initial pass into the Irishman's path.

Mikael Silvestre recovered his ground after Camara had appeared to nip past him inside the box, then United had another let-off when Kavanagh again fired wide, this time from 30 yards, after Brown's headed clearance had dropped to him.

Roberts curled a free-kick just over with Van der Sar beaten and as the half-time whistle blew, Wigan must have wondered what they had to do to break the deadlock.Van Nistelrooy remained on the bench as the second half began, with United looking no more convincing than they had done in the opening period.

Unusually, Ferguson had watched the first 45 minutes unfold from the directors' box but the Scot reverted to the visitors' dug-out after the interval in the hope of inspiring his team to greater efforts.

The move might have paid off inside five minutes when John O'Shea released Neville and the England man crossed for Rooney. The former Everton star made firm contact with his diving header but it soared high over Filan's goal.

Ferdinand nodded a Giggs corner harmlessly over but at last, United were starting to exert themselves and force Wigan onto the defensive.

Scharner was booked for dissent after a debatable decision had gone against the hosts, then Giggs floated a free-kick wide after Ronaldo had been shoved over by McCulloch.

It appeared United had weathered the Wigan storm but, just before the hour mark, the Latics took a deserved lead.

When De Zeeuw met Bullard's corner with a firm header, Giggs did well to clear off the line.

The rebound fell to McCulloch, who stabbed the ball into Roberts' path, allowing the striker to steer a shot towards goal.

Again Giggs was in the way but this time the Welshman was not so lucky as the ricochet landed at Scharner's feet and he quickly swept home.

Van der Sar needed to make a smart low save to deny Roberts moments later as Wigan looked to take a stranglehold on the contest.Giggs was booked for a foul on Scharner before Van Nistelrooy was introduced with 20 minutes remaining. Park Ji-Sung made way, a move which saw Rooney move into central midfield and Giggs switch to the left flank.

Within two minutes, United were level, with Van Nistelrooy instrumental the first time he received possession.

Ronaldo launched the counter after taking Giggs' pass, then raced on after feeding Van Nistelrooy, steering home his sixth goal in five games when the Dutchman mis-hit his shot.

McCulloch became the fourth Wigan player cautioned when he took Ronaldo down with a crude challenge from behind and O'Shea followed him in Bennett's notepad shortly afterwards, again for dissent.

Chimbonda used his strength to block Rooney off as he tried to reach Saha's flick-on. Wigan swiftly countered and Neville was the next yellow card victim for jabbing an elbow into Roberts' neck.

Baines was also booked for a foul on Saha, then, 90 seconds into stoppage time, calamity struck for Wigan when Saha's shot flicked off Scharner, crashed against the woodwork and rebounded into Chimbonda, who could not prevent it bouncing into his own net.