Danny Welbeck is a diver. His acting abilities earned Utd an penalty. So it was justice served when Chicharito Hernandez’s soft spot kick was saved. Sir Alex Ferguson started Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes who was making his 700th appearance. The most intriguing change was 23 year old Alexander Buttner’s appearance in place of Patrice Evra. Apart from that bit of first half Welbeckian drama there was no premonition of the number of goals that were going to erupt in the second half.
It was fitting that Scholes got the ball rolling as the ginger haired assassin was at hand to put back Al Habsi’s spill. Scholes scores goals and he amasses passes. Chicharito or Chickarito as the commentator insisted on calling him, deflected in Buttner’s shot past Al Habsi as Utd added to their tally.
The Vitesse Arnhem left half easily the most eye catching player on the pitch with his work rate and skill continued his spectacular debut scoring after an unstoppable run a la Emmett Smith. Gathering the ball after falling, he drove past a maze of defenders and then unleashed a shot from the tightest of angles which Al Habsi once again was not able to hold onto. Plenty of luck but plenty of skill. A pensive Evra appeared to contemplate his future in the club. Sir Alex’s next debutante Nick Powell also crashed the party with a spanking shot which left Al Habsi a bystander. As it were, Utd did not need RVP or Shinji Kagawa. They were helped too by a disorganized Wigan’s defense and Al-Habsi’s forgettable day between the sticks.