Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot scores towards Wigan Athletic within the fourth spherical of the FA Cup on January 8, 2024
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes, with a penalty, secured a 2-0 win at Wigan Athletic within the FA Cup fourth spherical on a bitterly chilly night time at DW Stadium on Monday.
The victory over the third-tier aspect was a welcome aid for the 12-time FA Cup winners, who’re out of Europe and the League Cup and languishing eighth within the Premier League.
“The FA Cup is all about winning, it is knockout. You want to finish the job. That is what I said in the dressing room ‘job done,’” United supervisor Erik ten Hag informed ITV.
United will subsequent go to the winners of the third spherical replay between League Two (fourth tier) Newport County and National League (fifth tier) Eastleigh F.C. within the fourth spherical.
Ten Hag’s aspect comfortably averted an eighth defeat in 14 away matches in all competitions since final season’s FA Cup remaining, which they misplaced to neighbours Manchester City.
Dalot scored within the twenty second minute at Wigan when Marcus Rashford had a shot blocked earlier than laying the ball off to the Portuguese, who took a contact earlier than discovering the underside nook of the online from simply outdoors the 18-yard field.
“It gave us more confidence,” Dalot stated. “We were needing the goal so we could be more calm and not rushing to score. We created a lot and could have scored more. It’s what we missed today.”
Fernandes doubled United’s lead within the 74th with a penalty after Liam Shaw caught the captain’s foot within the field.
United additionally wasted a bucket load of possibilities.
“Oh, definitely (we should have scored more),” Ten Hag stated.
“In the first half I think we created five or six very good chances. I think it was very good football. We should have taken more, but if you don’t score you have to stay focused and I think we did that tonight.”
Rashford briefly celebrated what he thought was a aim however keeper Sam Tickle dived to collect the ball on the road.
Fellow ahead Rasmus Hojlund was left pissed off by a trio of near-misses earlier than halftime, whereas winger Alejandro Garnacho had a shot that ricocheted off the bar.
Former United captain Roy Keane stated he “would be fuming” with Hojlund if he was Ten Hag.
“They are big chances. Stop messing about. Put the ball in the back of the net,” Keane stated on ITV.
Ten Hag’s aspect had 33 pictures, 14 heading in the right direction, in comparison with Wigan’s 9. Rashford had eight makes an attempt, 4 heading in the right direction.
League One aspect Wigan beat Manchester City at Wembley to win the 2013 FA Cup in one of many competitors’s main upsets. But they had been outplayed by United regardless of their greatest efforts.
“Proud of my players,” Wigan supervisor Shaun Maloney stated. “Difficult match, but a brilliant experience for our players.”
Source: www.thehindu.com
