A hat-trick from Dimitar Berbatov helped Manchester United demolish Wigan 5-0 in a Barclay’s Premiership match at Old Trafford on Boxing Day.
United looked threatening from the open whistle despite their team missing a number of the regular key players due to injury. Still, the Red Devils marched forward in attack and caused problems for the visitors defence from the outset.
Consequently, it only took eight minutes for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men to take the lead.
Patrice Evra drove down the left flank and made his way into the box, beating a couple of defenders, before perfectly cutting the ball back to an unmarked Gi-Sung Park ten-yards out from goal. The Korean made no mistake side footing the ball home to give United an early lead, 1-0.
In the 17th minute United should have been handed the perfect opportunity to double their lead when Javier Hernandez was clearly fouled inside the box, but the referee waved away the penalty appeal.
Ten minutes later and Nani came within inches of finding United’s second goal when his 25-yard free-kick beat the defensive wall but went inches wide of the right-hand post.
In the 35th minute it was Berbatov who came close to finding the back of the net when he also tried his luck from the edge of the 18-yard box with a powerful grass-cutter, but his shot also went agonisingly wide.
Four minutes later, however, and the game took a bit of a sour turn when Conor Sammon was sent from the field after receiving a straight red card for what looked like an elbow on Michael Carrick’s face.
Then, compounding Wigan’s problems two minutes later was Berbatov when he found the game’s second goal. The Bulgarian did brilliantly to control a cross from the right before firing the ball home to double the Red Devil’s lead, 2-0.
At the start of the second 45 United showed no signs of letting up and Park nearly scored his second two minutes into the half when he rose to meet a cross from the right, but saw his header superbly saved by Al Habsi.
In the 58th minute, though, there was nothing Al Habsi could do when Berbatov received the ball with his back facing the goal, just inside the box. The striker turned majestically with one touch of the ball to control, before toe-poking the ball into the back of the net from 16-yards out, 3-0.
17 minutes later Antonio Valancia wrapped up the match with a powerfully driven shot from just outside the right side of the box, his pile-driver finding the bottom left-hand corner of the net, 4-0.
In the 78th minute Berbatov found United’s third and his hat-trick from the penalty spot after Park was pulled down inside the box, 5-0.
It was a convincing display from Ferguson’s men which saw them go level on points with Manchester City at the top of the table after City drew 0-0 with West Bromwich Albion.
Manchester United (2) 5 (Park 8’, Berbatov 41’, 58’ + 78’, Valencia 75’)
Wigan (0) 0