FA Cup: Wigan Athletic vs Manchester United Live
Preview
The DW Stadium is set to host an exciting FA Cup third-round match on Monday night, as League One team Wigan Athletic welcomes the English powerhouse Manchester United. Wigan achieved a memorable FA Cup victory in 2012-13 by defeating Manchester City in the final, while Manchester United has won the trophy 12 times, with their most recent triumph in 2015-16.
Wigan Athletic will go into Monday’s exciting match after drawing 1-1 with Barnsley in League One. Jonathan Smith scored to equalize Devante Cole’s first-half goal, resulting in a shared point in South Yorkshire. The Latics are currently in 17th place in the table, having earned 27 points from 25 league games this season. They began the campaign with a deficit of eight points due to financial issues. Shaun Maloney’s team, who were relegated from the Championship last season, are four points above the relegation zone in League One and 13 points away from the playoff positions.
Therefore, they will need to put in a significant effort in the second half of the season to have a chance at promotion. Wigan, who have defeated Exeter City and York City in the FA Cup this season, last faced Man United in the fourth round of the competition in January 2017, where they suffered a 4-0 loss. In fact, they have been beaten by that score in three of their last four games against the 20-time English champions.
Meanwhile, Manchester United has won the FA Cup 12 times, second only to Arsenal’s 14 victories. Their most recent triumph was in 2016 when they defeated Crystal Palace 2-1 in the final. Last season, Erik ten Hag’s team made it to the final but lost 2-1 to Manchester City. This season, the FA Cup represents their best chance of winning a trophy.
Manchester United is coming off a 2-1 loss to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, marking their 14th defeat of the season and leaving them in eighth place, nine points behind fourth-placed Arsenal. They also finished at the bottom of their Champions League group. Despite the challenging campaign, the club’s spirits have been lifted by the news of Sir Jim Ratcliffe becoming a minority shareholder. Ratcliffe recently visited Carrington, and his impending arrival in the football department has left a positive impression on the staff and players.
Head-to-head
Manchester United has not lost in their last four matches against Wigan Athletic, winning all four games, including their most recent encounter in 2017 when they secured a 4-0 victory.
Prediction
Manchester United has been a challenging team to watch this season, struggling to score goals. However, they are expected to have an advantage over their League One opponents on Monday. This is particularly true as Ten Hag is likely to field a strong lineup, emphasizing the significance of the FA Cup to the club this season.
