Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes, with a penalty, won a 2-0 victory over Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup fourth round on a very chilly night at DW Stadium on Monday.
With the 12-time FA Cup winners eliminated from both the League Cup and Europe and presently ranked eighth in the Premier League, their victory over the third-tier team was a welcome relief.
“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 manager Erik ten Hag told ITV.
United will next visit the winners of the third round replay between League Two (fourth tier) Newport County and National League (fifth tier) Eastleigh F.C. in the fourth round.
After losing the FA Cup final to nearby Manchester City the previous season, Ten Hag’s team narrowly avoided their eighth loss in 14 away games across all competitions.
In the 22nd minute of the match against Wigan, Dalot scored after Marcus Rashford’s attempt was stopped. The Portuguese player then took a touch and finished the effort from just beyond the 18-yard box, reaching the bottom corner of the goal.
“It gave us more confidence,” Dalot said. “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 in the 74th with a penalty after Liam Shaw caught the captain’s foot in the box.
Moreover, United squandered countless opportunities.
“Oh, definitely (we should have scored more),” Ten Hag said.
“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 goal but keeper Sam Tickle dived to gather the ball on the line.
Fellow forward Rasmus Hojlund was left frustrated by a trio of near-misses before halftime, while winger Alejandro Garnacho had a shot that ricocheted off the bar.
Former United captain Roy Keane claimed he “would be fuming” at 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 television.
Ten Hag’s side had 33 shots, 14 on target, compared to Wigan’s nine. Of his eight efforts, Rashford made four on goal.
League One side Wigan beat Manchester City at Wembley to win the 2013 FA Cup in one of the competition’s major upsets. However, in spite of their best efforts, United outperformed them.
“Proud of my players,” Wigan manager Shaun Maloney said. “Difficult match, but a brilliant experience for our players.”
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