Hernandez has now scored nine league goals in eight league starts for United
Bullish league leaders Manchester United tightened their grip on the title race after pushing aside Wigan to move four points clear of Arsenal.
Relegation-threatened Wigan shone early on but Edwin van der Sar stood solid.
Javier Hernandez cleverly clipped in rampant Nani’s cross after 17 minutes as the visitors gradually took control.
Mexican striker Hernandez slotted a cool second 15 minutes from time before a Wayne Rooney tap-in, then substitute Fabio’s free shot, added a late gloss.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s team came into the match off the back of a disjointed goalless draw at Marseille, but added attacking cohesion to their characteristic defensive stubbornness against a Wigan team who did test them until the killer second goal from Hernandez.
And the confident display sets them up well for Tuesday’s trip to Chelsea, with United now 15 points clear of the reigning champions.
Though Wigan sit second from bottom, they are not cut adrift from mid-table teams and can be hugely encouraged by their showing.
In the low Lancashire sunshine, they had United on the back foot immediately to force a succession of early corners.
The first clear opening came when Vidic uncharacteristically gave the ball away, but his recovery tackle on Charles N’Zogbia on the edge of his own area was perfect.
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Rooney should have been sent off – Martinez
Going past men with ease, Nani showed first for a United team who had Hernandez partnering Rooney as regular first-choice forward Dimitar Berbatov sat on the bench.
A frustrated-looking Rooney elicited boos after charging into James McCarthy off the ball with what looked like a forearm.
Van der Sar soon came to sloppy United’s rescue after a lazy Paul Scholes error.
Victor Moses pounced on the loose ball but, one-on-one, he could only steer his shot into the broad shoulders of the 40-year-old Dutchman.
But the first bit of real class from United, in the 17th minute, gave them the lead against the run of play.
Rooney made a lung-busting burst past Nani to exchange passes on the left wing with the erratic-but-gifted Portuguese winger.
He quickly whipped a fine low cross along the box which Hernandez – exhibiting his instinctive movement – moved towards before expertly slipping the ball round Ali Al Habsi into his near post.
Wigan did not fold and soon tested Van der Sar once more as he was forced into an outstanding point-blank save from McCarthy, who had been set up by Hugo Rodallega’s skilful flick.
United came within millimetres of extending their lead on the half-hour when Darren Fletcher played a smart pass inside for Rooney, who did the same for Nani.
The winger – clearly comfortable with both feet – cracked a 15-yard left-foot shot past Al Habsi, but it cannoned back off the left upright.
With Scholes a continually classy presence and Vidic blocking shots and clearing crosses like a man possessed, United just managed to keep control of a feisty match.
But Steve Gohouri and McCarthy continued to link well on the right in the second half, while Van der Sar’s hands were stung yet again just after half-time as Maynor Figueroa’s fine long-range shot forced a decent high stop.
Nani soon slalomed into the box, riding tackles, but his shot was saved relatively comfortably.
With United pushing for a second to give them some breathing space, Hernandez fashioned a superb pull-back which Nani and Fletcher came close to connecting with.
Moses then did the same as Hernandez for Wigan – but Rodallega fired his snapshot well over the bar under pressure from United centre-back Chris Smalling, who again ensured that the absence of Rio Ferdinand was not noticed.
Ubiquitous Nani unleashed another shot which was spilled by Al Habsi, who then saved from Fletcher after Rooney had recycled the rebound.
United were rewarded for their growing pressure in the 75th minute when Hernandez, who is proving prolific in his first season in English football, flicked a high ball on for Rooney.
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Man Utd can win at Chelsea – Hernandez
The England striker, still not fully back to his best form, gave a simple return ball as Hernandez nipped through Wigan’s slumbering backline to slot a clinical low finish past Al Hasbi.
Ten minutes later Darron Gibson’s long pass out of defence freed substitute Berbatov, and he unselfishly squared the ball across for Rooney to side-foot into an open net.
At the death, with Wigan well beaten, Fletcher’s deep floated cross was controlled at the far post by Fabio as the Brazilian full-back clipped it inside the near post with his only contribution to the match.
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Saturday, 26 February 2011
Barclays Premier League
| Home Team | Score | Away Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wigan | 0-4 | Man Utd | FT |
| (HT 0-1) | |||
|
|||
- Final Result
- Full Time
- 90:00+3:23 The referee ends the match.
- 90:00+2:53 Short corner worked by Dimitar Berbatov.
- 90:00+0:35 Corner taken right-footed by Wayne Rooney from the right by-line to the near post, Gary Caldwell makes a clearance.
- 90:00+0:26 Wayne Rooney takes a shot. Blocked by Gary Caldwell.
- 90:00+0:12 Michael Carrick takes the inswinging corner, Ali Al Habsi makes a clearance.
- 88:18 Wayne Rooney fouled by Gary Caldwell, the ref awards a free kick. Michael Carrick restarts play with the free kick.
- 88:18 Substitution (Wigan) makes a substitution, with James McArthur coming on for Charles N’Zogbia.
- 88:18 Substitution Ben Watson goes off and Jordi Gomez comes on.
- 86:11 Assist by Darren Fletcher.
- 86:11 GOAL – Fabio Da Silva:Wigan 0 – 4 Man Utd A goal is scored by Fabio Da Silva from close range to the bottom left corner of the goal. Wigan 0-4 Man Utd.
- 84:29 Substitution Fabio Da Silva comes on in place of Luis Nani.
- 83:25 Dimitar Berbatov provided the assist for the goal.
- 83:25 GOAL – Wayne Rooney:Wigan 0 – 3 Man Utd A goal is scored by Wayne Rooney from close in low into the middle of the goal. Wigan 0-3 Man Utd.
- 81:49 Darren Fletcher concedes a free kick for a foul on James McCarthy. James McCarthy takes the direct free kick.
- 77:23 Shot from just outside the penalty area by Hugo Rodallega misses to the left of the target.
- 75:50 Unfair challenge on Mohamed Diame by Patrice Evra results in a free kick. Charles N’Zogbia takes the direct free kick.
- 75:50 Substitution Darron Gibson replaces Paul Scholes.
- 75:50 Substitution Dimitar Berbatov is brought on as a substitute for Javier Hernandez.
- 73:51 Assist by Wayne Rooney.
- 73:51 GOAL – Javier Hernandez:Wigan 0 – 2 Man Utd Javier Hernandez finds the back of the net with a goal from inside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal.
Wigan 0-2 Man Utd. - 73:24 Franco Di Santo produces a right-footed shot from long distance which goes wide right of the goal.
- 72:51 Wayne Rooney takes a shot. Ali Al Habsi makes a save.
- 71:10 Foul by Patrice Evra on Mohamed Diame, free kick awarded. Charles N’Zogbia crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed
from right wing, Nemanja Vidic makes a clearance. - 69:29 The ball is swung over by Steve Gohouri, Edwin Van der Sar makes a save.
- 68:54 Booking Javier Hernandez is booked.
- Correction – 68:43 Unfair challenge on Antolin Alcaraz by Javier Hernandez results in a free kick. Ali Al Habsi restarts play with the free kick.
- 68:43 Javier Hernandez concedes a free kick for a foul on Antolin Alcaraz. Direct free kick taken by Antolin Alcaraz.
- 66:50 Foul by Gary Caldwell on Patrice Evra, free kick awarded. Paul Scholes restarts play with the free kick.
- 65:44 The assistant referee signals for offside against Hugo Rodallega. Indirect free kick taken by Edwin Van der Sar.
- Correction – 63:58 Free kick awarded for a foul by Nemanja Vidic on Hugo Rodallega. Antolin Alcaraz restarts play with the free kick.
- Correction – 63:58 Substitution Victor Moses leaves the field to be replaced by Franco Di Santo.
- 63:58 Nemanja Vidic concedes a free kick for a foul on Hugo Rodallega. Direct free kick taken by Antolin Alcaraz.
- 63:58 Substitution (Wigan) makes a substitution, with Franco Di Santo coming on for Victor Moses.
- 63:25 Corner taken right-footed by Luis Nani from the right by-line, clearance by Ali Al Habsi.
- 62:18 The offside flag is raised against Wayne Rooney. Antolin Alcaraz restarts play with the free kick.
- 59:44 Unfair challenge on Wayne Rooney by Mohamed Diame results in a free kick. Luis Nani produces a shot on goal direct from the
free kick. - 59:35 Darren Fletcher takes a shot. Save made by Ali Al Habsi.
- 59:27 Luis Nani takes a shot. Blocked by Ali Al Habsi.
- 58:18 Hugo Rodallega challenges Nemanja Vidic unfairly and gives away a free kick. Paul Scholes takes the free kick.
- 56:35 Foul by Ben Watson on Javier Hernandez, free kick awarded. Paul Scholes takes the free kick.
- 56:12 Gary Caldwell challenges Javier Hernandez unfairly and gives away a free kick. Patrice Evra takes the direct free kick.
- 55:54 Wayne Rooney concedes a free kick for a foul on Antolin Alcaraz. Maynor Figueroa restarts play with the free kick.
- 55:25 Effort from deep inside the area by Victor Moses clears the bar.
- 54:24 Luis Nani produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the target.
- 53:11 Patrice Evra sends in a cross, Gary Caldwell manages to make a clearance.
- 52:43 Luis Nani takes a shot. Save by Ali Al Habsi.
- 50:32 Luis Nani concedes a free kick for a foul on Ben Watson. Direct free kick taken by Gary Caldwell.
- 49:58 Charles N’Zogbia crosses the ball, Hugo Rodallega takes a shot. Edwin Van der Sar makes a save.
- 47:28 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Ben Watson from the left by-line to the near post, Luis Nani makes a clearance.
- 47:17 Maynor Figueroa takes a shot. Save made by Edwin Van der Sar.
- 45:01 The second half begins.
- Half Time
- 45:00+2:14 The ref blows to signal half-time.
- 45:00+1:48 Victor Moses sends in a cross.
- 43:34 The ball is swung over by Charles N’Zogbia, clearance made by Chris Smalling.
- 42:06 Inswinging corner taken by Ben Watson, clearance by Michael Carrick.
- 40:42 The assistant referee signals for offside against Hugo Rodallega. Chris Smalling takes the indirect free kick.
- 38:51 Foul by Charles N’Zogbia on Patrice Evra, free kick awarded. Paul Scholes restarts play with the free kick.
- 37:50 Gary Caldwell delivers the ball, save by Edwin Van der Sar.
- 37:32 Corner taken right-footed by Ben Watson, clearance by Nemanja Vidic.
- 35:13 Paul Scholes gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on James McCarthy. Ben Watson takes the direct free kick.
- 33:06 Free kick awarded for a foul by Hugo Rodallega on Nemanja Vidic. Free kick taken by Edwin Van der Sar.
- 32:21 Luis Nani has an effort at goal from outside the box which goes wide right of the goal.
- 28:45 Luis Nani produces a left-footed shot from just inside the penalty box and hits the post.
- 24:43 Free kick awarded for a foul by James McCarthy on Paul Scholes. Paul Scholes restarts play with the free kick.
- 24:06 Steve Gohouri produces a header from deep inside the six-yard box which goes wide of the right-hand post.
- 23:18 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Steve Gohouri by Javier Hernandez. Direct free kick taken by Ben Watson.
- 22:44 Corner from left by-line taken by Ben Watson.
- 21:42 Mohamed Diame delivers the ball, Nemanja Vidic manages to make a clearance.
- 18:32 Hugo Rodallega has an effort at goal from outside the box which goes wide right of the target.
- 17:39 James McCarthy takes a shot. Save made by Edwin Van der Sar.
- 16:23 Luis Nani provided the assist for the goal.
- 16:23 GOAL – Javier Hernandez:Wigan 0 – 1 Man Utd A goal is scored by Javier Hernandez from close in to the bottom left corner of the goal. Wigan 0-1 Man Utd.
- 15:46 John O’Shea challenges Victor Moses unfairly and gives away a free kick. Maynor Figueroa takes the free kick.
- 15:09 A cross is delivered by James McCarthy.
- 14:22 Corner taken by Ben Watson played to the near post, clearance made by Luis Nani.
- 14:15 The ball is crossed by Victor Moses, clearance made by Nemanja Vidic.
- 13:03 Short corner worked by Ben Watson.
- 12:49 Victor Moses takes a shot. Save made by Edwin Van der Sar.
- 12:26 Unfair challenge on Nemanja Vidic by Hugo Rodallega results in a free kick. Nemanja Vidic takes the free kick.
- 11:32 The ball is delivered by Darren Fletcher, Ben Watson makes a clearance.
- 10:49 Free kick awarded for a foul by James McCarthy on Paul Scholes. Paul Scholes restarts play with the free kick.
- 8:37 Darren Fletcher sends in a cross.
- 8:02 Wayne Rooney challenges James McCarthy unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Ben Watson.
- 7:37 The ball is sent over by Charles N’Zogbia, Chris Smalling manages to make a clearance.
- 7:18 Ben Watson takes the inswinging corner, Luis Nani manages to make a clearance.
- 5:49 Unfair challenge on Javier Hernandez by Charles N’Zogbia results in a free kick. Strike on goal comes in from Luis Nani from
the free kick, save by Edwin Van der Sar. - 4:57 Hugo Rodallega produces a left-footed shot from inside the area that clears the crossbar.
- 3:49 Foul by Mohamed Diame on Chris Smalling, free kick awarded. Michael Carrick takes the direct free kick.
- 1:26 Charles N’Zogbia sends in a cross.
- 0:54 Ben Watson decides to take the corner short.
- 0:00 The match has kicked off.
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Man Utd thrash Wigan to extend lead