Saturday, 22nd Aug 2009 – KO: 15:00

When we bought Antonio Valencia from Wigan, I don’t think three points came as part of the deal but we could do with  them right now.

Having watched us against Burnley in midweek, Wigan can only have been given encouragement that perhaps there’s three points in this for them.

There haven’t been many back-to-back League defeats for Fergie down the years but they do happen and the opening three games of a season have been our weak point for the last couple of years (two points from our opening three games in 07/08 and four points in 08/09 – actually, when you put it like that, we’re off to a flyer this season!)

The United players will know that they let themselves down on Wednesday night and will be keen to put it right and get their Title defence back on the right track.

The news that Vidic could return for this match is welcome but having missed the pre-season, I’m not quite sure how much can be expected of him. I would expect him to start however. Whether it is Brown or O’Shea who makes way is a toss of a coin job but I suspect Brown will take the right berth.

I think the big changes will be made in midfield for this one with Valencia coming back to say hello to his former team-mates, Fletcher should play and possibly only Carrick retaining his place from Wednesday. Nani has performed well in all the games he has played so far this season (and pre-season) and having been left out against Burnley, he will be chomping at the bit to get back into the thick of things again.

Of course, the team will look nothing like this come kick-off, proving once against the futility of trying to guess what is going through Fergie’s mind.

I suspect it will be Rooney and Berbatov who start up-front and don’t be too surprised if Macheda is on the bench. He showed for the Reserves last week that he is still in the scoring groove and won’t be letting the boss forget him just because he’s bought Owen.

So, what will happen in this game?

Well, much as I would love to say that United will produce the goods here today and run out easy winners I think the reality will be another slog for us.

We are creating chances but not converting them. At the other end, our defence is weakened due to the enforced changes Fergie is having to make not just before every game but more often than not during the game too.

I just think this is going to be a 1-1 draw but if things go really well for us then we could win 1-0 or 2-0. The only realistic score I can see to scupper this bet is a 2-1 scoreline for United.

3 Points on UNDER 2.5 Goals @ 1.85 with Bet365

Well, I almost got the team right but I didn’t reckon on the inclusion of Gary Neville but it was an inspired selection as he looked good out there today.

Vidic was an absolute animal throughout the first half too and you can tell his enforced lay-off has been frustrating for him and he was glad to be back in the thick of things again today and nothing got past him in the first half but he understandably seemed to run out of a bit of steam in the latter stages of the match.

Rooney: 101 (and counting)

We had our chances in the first half but again, nothing seemed to be quite going for us and Wigan must have sensed this too as they came out all guns blazing in the second half and it did look very much like they would be grabbing the first goal but then up pops Rooney for a rare headed goal and his 100th for Manchester United.

A couple of minutes later and it was 2-0 as Berbatov performed a bit of magic in the box.

Seven minutes later and any complaints that luck has been against us recently will have to be dismissed now as Rooney’s blast took a wicked deflection off a Wigan defender and into the net.

The rest of the half was spent with Wigan doing their best to make a game of it whilst at the same time trying not to let the score getting too silly and it did look like three goals was going to be our lot but then came Michael Owen with a trademark run… unfortunately, Nani either didn’t see it or didn’t want to play it there as he was pointing to his left, so Owen ran there too and Nani played an inch perfect pass right into his run for Owen to pass it in off the far post for the type of goal we have seen him score over and over again down the years.

Nani was not to be denied as he even had time for a couple of free kicks in the closing minute or so. The first went tamely over the bar but the second hit the back of the net to make it five.

Overall, there were many, many positives to take from this match.

Neville looks like he’s ready to give Brown, Rafael and anyone else who might have put in a claim for his right-back position over the last couple of years a run for their money and I am sure Fergie will be delighted to have his experience to call upon once again.

Vidic could have been forgiven for being a bit “ring rusty” today but he looked sharp and focused here today. You shall not pass! Gandalf would have been proud.

When players are on the verge of milestones, it can become a bit of a burden and shows in their play so it was fantastic to see Rooney get his 100th (and 101st!) goals, Owen to get his first ever United goal (proper) and Berbatov to get off the mark for the season all in the same game.

Nani, whilst still a little raw and inconsistent, produced some great moments. Valencia’s all-round game was excellent.

Ben Foster in goal looked far more assured and Fletcher showed over and over just what we miss when he’s not on the park.

The scoreline might suggest that this was all Manchester United here today but it most certainly wasn’t and Wigan can count themselves extremely unlucky not to have scored a couple of their own here today and if they had scored when they had their chances, it would have been another very tough day for United.

As for the bet, well, I am a bit out of sync with United at the moment. I go OVER, they go UNDER, I go UNDER…

I will confess that I was concerned before this game. Our opening two games had showed that we were creating plenty of chances but one goal was the end product. I just felt that it was going to take us a few more games to really “click” this season.

However, there is always the chance of a hatful whenever United play and you just have to hope that you’re in on it when it happens. On this occasion, I wasn’t.

Am I complaining? Not a chance!