HAPPY FERGIE AND PHILOSOPHICAL JEWELL

"I thought it was going to be one of these tight games with the way they started. They started very brightly and we also produced some great football ourselves. I thought Mike Pollitt was going to have one of those games and I was saying to myself 'Why did I free him?'

"We got the breakthrough - it was a long time coming with Rio Ferdinand - almost three years I think and Wayne put us in a comfortable position. I thought that in the second half, for about 25 minutes, we played absolutely superb football.

"I think it clicked for us after the second goal," said the United boss. "I thought it was going to be tight the way Wigan started and they played some good football.

"Rio's goal has been a long time - almost three years - and Wayne put us in a comfortable position with his goals.

"The result puts us level in terms of games with Chelsea but we are still nine points behind them and the only thing we can do is remain consistent and hope they slip up."

Wigan Boss Paul Jewell said: "We have played the four best teams in the country in recent weeks so this is not a time to be critical of the side.

"It is my job to lift their confidence but those games would have been a test for any team in the world."