Manchester United – Wigan Athletic

Hi, I'm Alex; welcome to ESPN Soccernet's coverage of the Carling Cup final, between Manchester United and Wigan.

Ruud van Nistelrooy has been dumped on the bench by Sir Alex Ferguson, who pairs Wayne Rooney with Louis Saha up front.

Wigan kick off the biggest match in their history.

The underdogs are in their traditional blue and white shirts; United in the red home strip.

Ronaldo is caught off-side as he picks up Rooney's flick from a United throw-in.

CHANCE! Teale does excellently to get down the right wing; he sends over a good cross to the near post, but Roberts heads wide of the near post.

The roof is closed on the Millennium Stadium this afternoon, which has helped keep out the cold. The pitch is in superb condition - we're set for a classic Cardiff final.

Pollit looks to have injured his hamstring as he went to collect a ball inside his area. He needs some treatment, but it doesn't look good for the Wigan keeper.

John Filan is preparing himself on the sidelines, but Pollit is back on his feet, if a little gingerly.

Paul Jewell looks very concerned as play gets back underway; Pollit still isn't moving freely, though he does manage to clear the ball from his hands without too much difficulty.

A mistake by Silvestre hands Wigan a throw, deep in their own half. Pollit still looks troubled by that hamstring; it would be a disasterous start for Wigan to lose their keeper so early.

ALMOST! Stunning control from Rooney takes him past Chimbonda and in to the penalty area, but Saha just can't get on the end of his fiercely-struck cross.

HEADER! Rooney plants a header goalwards, but sees it comeback off the post. Great start to this game, from both sides.

There is a great atmosphere inside the stadium this afternoon; both sets of fans are really up for this game.

Ronaldo shows good pace to chase down a long ball down the right, but his cross is a little too strong for Rooney and Saha, waiting in the middle.

United have started this match much stronger than their opponents; they are finding a lot of space in midfield, and their passing has been crisp and accurate in these early minutes.

Pollit has signalled to the bench; it seems he wants to come off; he is really struggling with that hamstring injury he picked up in the opening minutes.

Roberts shows good strength to hold off Brown and win his side their first corner of the match. Bullard stands over the ball...

...He takes it short to Roberts, gets it back and sends over a dangerous cross but Brown clears.

United launch a swift counter attack, but although Saha finds the ball at his feet inside the area, he can't turn and get his shot away.

SHOT! Camara collects a loose ball, 30 yards out, but his shot is deflected and is easily claimed by Van der Sar.

SAVE! Pollit gets down well, despite his injury, to save Saha's shot at the near post. Brave, from the veteran keeper.

WIGAN SUB: Filan replaces Pollit; a sad end to the game for Pollit, who suffered a pulled hamstring in the first five minutes. But Filan is an able deputy, and will do his best for the underdogs.

What a great start to this game; it's open, being played at great pace, and both sides look committed to open, attacking football.

Filan has a couple of early touches, to settle his nerves. He can't of expected to feature in the game at all, never mind so early.

Roberts and Camara break through the middle, but Camara's cross is poor and easily claimed by Van der Sar.

Saha goes down right on the edge of the Wigan penalty area after a clumsy challenge from De Zeeuw, but the referee dismisses claims for a free-kick.

Teale is seeing a lot of the ball down the Wigan right; if he can get some decent service in to Roberts and Camara, Wigan could get some joy this afternoon.

AWFUL! Rooney skips past a couple of challenges before pulling the ball back to Ronaldo, but his attempted shot from 10 yards is horribly mis-cued, and Wigan clear.

The first twenty minutes have flown by; it really has been a great start.

A sloppy pass from O'Shea concedes possession back to Wigan; a throw, on the half-way line.

GOOD EFFORT! Bullard swaps a pass with Baines before unleashing a swerving low drive from 30 yards, though Van der Sar is down quickly to save.

Scharner fires in another shot for Wigan, though this time he can't test Van der Sar in the United goal.

Saha again goes to ground in a tussle with De Zeeuw; again, the referee sees nothing. Saha is furious, and has words with his marker.

De Zeeuw is finally penalised for a foul on Saha, 35 yards out. Ronaldo stands over the ball, looking menacing...

...The Portuguese star goes for goal, but his shot drifts a few yards wide of Filan's goal. Not the best effort from the United youngster.

Wigan will be relieved that they have withstood the whirlwind start that United made; Paul Jewell's men are really warming to their task.

Baines can't quite keep the ball in play at the end of a promising Wigan passing move.

Jewell is very animated on the Wigan touchline; he will be pleased with the start that his side has made, although the space that Giggs and Rooney are finding will surely concern him.

Kavanagh plays a big part for Wigan; he just sits in midfield, knitting things together and urging his team-mates forward with short, positive passes.

Rooney almost finds Park with a good ball inside Chimbonda, but Filan is out of his goal quickly to collect.

Surprisingly, United have only won this trophy once in their history, against Nottingham Forest, 14 years ago.

United are having much more of the possession, and a lot of it is in the Wigan half; but Wigan look quite dangerous on the counter, and they are defending reasonably well so far.

GOAL! Rooney muscles his way through challenges before tucking a neat finish past Filan from the edge of the penalty area.

Chimbonda and De Zeeuw rather got in each other's way as they tried to tackle Rooney, 30 yards out; the England striker took advantage of their slip and calmly slotted past the keeper.

OOOH! Giggs breaks down the left, crosses in to the middle, but Rooney's shot from eight yards is easily saved by Filan.

United, in fairness, probably deserve to be a goal-up; they made the better start, and have looked dangerous every time they have gone forward.

Wigan win a free-kick, 35 yards out, dead centre; Bullard stands over the ball, lining up a shot...

...EASY! Bullard's right-foot shot is on target, but easily saved by Van der Sar.

O'Shea shows good defensive awareness to track Roberts' run to the near post and clear Baines' cross out for a throw.

The pace of the game has, inevitably, slowed a little after what was an incredible start; I think both sides will be happy to see half-time.

Rooney has never won a winner's medal at senior level, but his first-half strike has given him and his team-mates a great chance of securing the first major trophy of the season.

OVER! Camara gets on a loose ball, 25 yards out, but his right-foot shot is blasted high over Van der Sar's crossbar. Poor effort.

Roberts and Camara have caused Ferdinand and Brown a few problems at times in this first half, but they need better service than their getting at the moment.

A handball from Ronaldo eases the pressure on Wigan; Jewell's men need a spell of decent possession to get their confidence back up again.

Baines steals the ball from Neville, deep inside the United half; he sends over a low cross, and Silvestre needs to be alert to clear at the back post, with Teale lurking dangerously behind him.

A long clearance from Kavanagh causes panic from Ferdinand; Roberts sprints on to the ball and sends over a very good cross, but Brown makes a super defensive header inside his own six-yard box.

De Zeeuw needs some treatment after a collision inside the centre-circle; he's a brave lad, and is soon on his feet again.

There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this first half.

Bullard is bundled off the ball by Giggs in midfield; free-kick.

De Zeeuw, I'm told, was shown a yellow card a moment ago for the challenge in the centre-circle that required him to take some treatment.

HALF-TIME: A good, open half of attacking football from both sides. United have had the better chances and probably deserve to lead; much work to do for Wigan in the second 45.

United kick off the second half; no changes at the break.

Only once in the last four years have United lost to another English side after going in front; that is the size of the task facing Wigan in the second half.

United, undoubtedly, have the stronger bench; they can call on Van Nistelrooy and Richardson, should any of the stars out on the pitch begin to tire.

Successive shots from Scharner and Camara are blocked on the edge of the United area. A positive start from Wigan.

Wigan win a free-kick after Neville tugged on Roberts' shirt. A good chance to get a shot on goal...

...The ball is worked to Baines, but his shot is blocked inside the area.

United have a good spell of possession inside the Wigan hald, but Jewell's men are well organised and are able to snuff out the danger.

SHOT! Roberts shows great strength to hold off Ferdinand, but his shot from a tight angle is well saved by Van der Sar. Great work from the powerful striker.

Wigan need to get Roberts on the ball as much as possible; he is their real dangerman, and capable of unsettling Ferdinand and Brown.

Scharner breaks through the middle and slides a pass in to the path of Teale, but his attempted cross to the back post is charged down by Ferdinand.

Wigan win a corner as Camara tries to turn Brown, who can only put the ball behind. Great stuff from Wigan.

Ronaldo is furious as the referee rules that he fouled Teale as the two challenged for a ball inside the United half. It looked tough on the United man.

The Wigan fans are really getting behind their side now; they have made the better start to the second half as they search for this equaliser.

GOAL! Ronaldo feeds Neville down the right; the United skipper fires over a good low cross, Saha's first shot is brilliantly saved by Filan, but the striker bundles home the rebound.

Chimbonda allowed Saha to run free of him at the back post; it was poor marking from the French full-back, and Wigan have paid the penalty.

Saha was selected ahead of United's leading scorer, Van Nistelrooy, and has justified his place with what could prove to be the killer goal for his side.

How will Wigan respond to that second goal; they face an enormous test of character now, although they do, at least, now have nothing to lose.

GREAT KEEPING! Teale gets to the by-line and chips in a good cross; Van der Sar is under immense pressure from Roberts, but recovers to punch over his own crossbar.

GOAL! Henchoz's loose clearance is hit straight at Saha; the Frenchman feeds Ronaldo, who fires a low shot past Filan to seal the match.

Ronaldo is booked by the referee for taking his shirt off during his goal celebration.

Ronaldo looks full of confidence now; he breaks down the right, taking three Wigan defenders with him, before drawing a foul from Bullard with a neat trick.

GOAL! Rooney makes it 4-0 as Rooney gets on the end of Ferdinand's knock-down to tuck past Filan from five yards out.

WIGAN SUB! Henchoz is replaced by McCulloch. An attacking change from Jewell, although at 4-0, it seems a little late.

ROONEY FOR A HAT-TRICK! Saha feeds Rooney, through on goal and set for a hat-trick, but instead of putting his foot through the ball, he attempts to chip Filan and the ball drifts wide.

Ronaldo is booed for ball juggling in the centre-circle; no doubt feeling a little disrespected, Roberts comes flying in and fouls the young United winger.

Giggs seems to have a quiet word in the ear of Ronaldo, admonishing him for his showboating. It does show a certain lack of respect when you start juggling the ball for no reason.

Wigan launch a quick counter-attack; Teale sprints down the right, and chips a cross over to Baines, who had made a lung-bursting run through the middle. The full-back attempts to drop the ball in to the run of Roberts, but his touch is too heavy and the ball runs out.

Those three goals in the space of 16 second-half minutes have really killed this match; Wigan, though, to their credit, are battling on; they don't want to be humiliated.

Baines is worked in to space down the left, but his cross towards Camara is picked out of the air by Van der Sar.

United have got very sloppy with their defensive work since that goal-blitz; Wigan are finding a lot of space going forward because the United players aren't tracking their markers.

Baines claims a handball as he and Rooney challenge for a bouncing ball inside the United penalty area. The referee is having none of it.

Saha is off-side as he is picked out by Rooney's long ball forward.

WIGAN SUB: Kavanagh is replaced by Ziegler. The on-loan Tottenham midfielder comes on to give the Wigan midfield a little more energy.

Baines needs some treatment from the physio after a clash of heads in midfield.

UNITED SUB: Ronaldo is replaced by Richardson. The winger looks disappointed as he is substituted, but he has played very well this afternoon.

Wigan are still pressing and getting players forward when they have the ball; they will be desperate for a goal.

De Zeeuw does well to deal with a deflected Neville cross; United are flooding forward with suitable freedom and confidence.

Camara does well to turn Ferdinand inside the penalty area, but his cross is far too strong and flies over the head of the three Wigan players waiting in the middle.

JUST WIDE! Rooney fires a low cross in to the middle, but Park just can't get enough on the ball as he slides in, and his effort bobbles a foot wide of the far post.

ALMOST! Teale cuts inside and runs in to the United area; he blasts over a low cross, but no Wigan man can turn the ball in to the unguarded net.

Wigan, for all their pressing and heart since that United goal-blitz, look very dejected at the moment.

JUST OVER! Teale spots some space in front of him and decides on a shot; his effort is well-struck, but flies a couple of yards over.

Teale finds Camara with a cross from the right, but his header lacks direction and flies well wide of Van der Sar's post.

UNITED SUBS: Evra and Vidic replace Silvestre and Brown. Brown gets a standing ovation after another outstanding performance as Ferguson gives his two new signings a taste of the action.

So, no final action for Van Nistelrooy, who remains on the bench; he doesn't look very happy with his manager's decision, to say the least.

There is a slightly surreal atmosphere inside the stadium at the moment; although both sides are still pushing forward, all the tension has been drained out of the game.

Wigan have worked very hard this afternoon, but they will probably feel that they haven't really been at their best; they have allowed United too much space in midfield.

Rooney is still showing a lot of appetite, even at this late stage and with the result settled; I bet he is rueing missing that hat-trick chance.

The Wigan fans look completely crushed; it will take a while for them to realise that simply reaching the final was a massive achievement, and that 4-0 doesn't do their side justice.

SHOT! Bullard strikes a late shot a couple of yards wide of the post from 25 yards. Nothing has gone right for Wigan this afternoon.

Wigan fire in some late shots on goal, but they are all blocked on the edge of the area.

FULL-TIME: United win the first trophy of the season, and their first since May 2004. 4-0 doesn't really truly reflect the day, but United certainly deserved the win.

Ronaldo wears a T-shit offering support for injured team-mate Alan Smith, reading: "For You, Smudge." Nice touch.

The Wigan players are very gracious in defeat as they receive the comisserations of the United players.