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Video: Bruno Fernandes doubles Man United’s lead in controversial fashion

Darren Looney — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 21:57:31 +0000

Man United have doubled their lead against Wigan in their FA Cup third-round tie through captain Bruno Fernandes but it wasn’t without controversy.

Diogo Dalot opened the scoring in the clash in the first half with a beauty just after the 20-minute mark but the Premier League side failed to get a second in the first 45 minutes, despite having a host of chances.

That would come from the penalty spot in the second half as Fernandes slotted the ball into the bottom left corner.

There was controversy around the call as many fans online and commentators thought it was soft. However, there is clear contact and it was silly of the Wigan star to make that challenge in the box.

Slotted ?@B_Fernandes8 scores from the spot for @ManUtd #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/jKbm4tRVzA

— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 8, 2024

Wins the pen ?
Scores the pen ?

Bruno Fernandes puts Man Utd in control from the spot ?#WIGMUN | #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/cZxbRVCv6H

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 8, 2024

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Video: Marcus Rashford grabs assist as Man United defender curls in beauty against Wigan

Darren Looney — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 20:50:04 +0000

Man United have taken the lead in their FA Cup clash with Wigan courtesy of a beautiful goal from defender Diogo Dalot.

The Premier League club have been the better of the two teams so far, despite the home side giving Erik ten Hag’s team a scare early on in the clash.

The goal came after 22 minutes and it was a beauty from Dalot. The Portuguese full-back received a pass from Marcus Rashford before curling the ball into the bottom right corner.

The Red Devils will hope to kick on from here and get the tie over with as fast as possible.

That's some finish, @DalotDiogo ???@ManUtd #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/BI8J07iRMJ

— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 8, 2024

Diogo Dalot takes aim and finds the back of the net for Man Utd ?#WIGMUN l | #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/oMVpA1fI2E

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 8, 2024

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Confirmed Man United team news vs Wigan: Rasmus Hojlund returns

Darren Looney — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 19:25:18 +0000

Man United travel to Wigan on Monday night as Erik ten Hag’s side looks to advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The tournament is the only chance the Manchester club will have to win a trophy this season following a poor first half of their campaign. Man United are out of both the Carabao Cup and Champions League, while the Red Devils sit eighth in the Premier League table.

United were defeated 2-1 by Nottingham Forest last time out and an FA Cup shock would be a disaster for Ten Hag on Monday night.

The Dutch coach has gone very strong for the game, making just two changes to the side that lost to Forest. Christian Eriksen and Antony come out of the starting 11 for Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund.

? Your United XI to kick off our #FACup campaign! ?#MUFC

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 8, 2024

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As for Wigan, it has also been a tough campaign for the former Premier League club as they currently sit in 18th position in League One.

The Latics drew 1-1 with Barnsley last week and hope to make a huge statement with a win over Man United in front of their home fans.

The team Shaun Maloney has selected for tonight’s clash is below.

Your Tics team to take on Manchester United in the Emirates FA Cup. ? ?#wafc ???

— Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) January 8, 2024

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West Ham line up England defender as Angelo Ogbonna replacement

Darren Looney — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 09:45:19 +0000

Wigan defender Charlie Hughes is being viewed by West Ham as a potential replacement for Angelo Ogbonna as the defender looks set to leave at the end of the season.

After signing from Juventus in 2015, Ogbonna has gone on to make over 260 appearances for West Ham and counting; but being 35 years old, his best days are behind him and his time at the London Stadium is coming to an end.

Konstantinos Mavropanos was signed by David Moyes in the summer and the Scottish coach is now eyeing up a move for another centre-back in the form of Wigan’s Charlie Hughes.

That is according to Alan Nixon, who says that Wigan will be powerless to stop the Englishman’s transfer if West Ham make a move, which could happen fast as the London club are aware of rival interest.

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Newcastle clear out continues as defender bids farewell to St. James’ Park

Jason Pettigrove — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 16:59:40 +0000

The times they are a changing at St. James’ Park, and for all of the new signings that Eddie Howe is bringing into Newcastle, some other players need to be moved on.

Howe has overseen an incredible transformation at the Magpies, due in no small part to the incredible financial backing of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Having said that the manager has still had to spend the money wisely, and almost without exception, each signing he has made has paid off handsomely.

It’s certainly a great time to be a part of the Newcastle success story, but unfortunately that won’t apply to everyone. Some will be so near to jumping on board the express train, yet so far.

One player who has already decided to move elsewhere on a season-long loan deal is defender, Kelland Watts.

The 23-year-old centre-back wasn’t likely to have a realistic chance of breaking through into the first team in 2023/24, so has agreed to move to League One side, Wigan Athletic, according to Newcastle World.

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As the outlet also note that the following campaign sees Watts entering the final year of his Newcastle contract, it’s safe to assume that he’s played his last game for the north east giants.

That game would also have been his first and only match for the club, a 16-minute cameo appearance back in 2019/20 according to transfermarkt.

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23-year-old will be allowed to leave Newcastle by Eddie Howe

Jason Pettigrove — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 14:41:27 +0000

Newcastle continue to go from strength to strength both on and off the pitch, but their current and future success won’t be able to be shared by everyone.

As the club and team progress, so those who were once considered good enough but who may not now be in the first team picture will be allowed to leave.

Some players that haven’t yet scratched the surface in terms of making their mark in the senior XI will also be sent on their way, and that latter scenario is one that applies to 23-year-old Kell Watts.

According to Wigan Today, Watts has only made a solitary appearance in the first-team, way back in July 2020 against Liverpool.

Since then he’s been sent on loan to Stevenage, Mansfield, Wigan Athletic and Peterborough, and given the direction that the club are now going in, there’s little hope of Watts making a belated entry into the St. James’ Park hall of fame.

To that end, Wigan Today report that the Latics are trying to get the player, who reportedly has 12 months left on his Magpies contract, back to the DW Stadium.

It isn’t clear at this stage whether it’s a loan deal that’s preferred or a permanent one, either way it would be preferable that being kept in the background on Tyneside, waiting in vain for a first-team opportunity to open up.

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Wigan Athletic hit by further Football League punishment ahead of the new season

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 15:16:14 +0000

If things weren’t bad enough already for Wigan Athletic, they’ve just got a whole lot worse, and this time the punishment from the Football League could scupper their transfer dealings for the next 18 months.

The club already knew that they would be starting the 2023/24 season on minus eight points, a punishment that was metered out by the game’s governing body after consistent non-payment of wages from the owner.

There’s every chance that this could be increased of course if Abdulrahman Al Jasmi doesn’t honour a promise to have all outstanding staff and player wages settled by the end of the week.

According to Wigan Today, at Thursday’s Football League AGM several changes to the regulations were voted on by member clubs, and they will come into effect immediately.

The one that has appeared to knock the stuffing out of the long-suffering Wigan fans and staff is the ’30-Day Rule.’

This relates to non-payment of HMRC debt, and has been added as a trigger of Regulation 52.6. If Wigan fall foul of this particular regulation – which they will do if they accumulate 30 days of late payments in a 12-month period – the club will be unable to buy players for the next three transfer windows.

That’s clearly a situation which nobody wants but only Al Jasmi can ensure that it doesn’t come to pass.

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Former FA Cup winners will begin life in League One with four point deduction which could rise to eight

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 19 May 2023 17:09:00 +0000

There’s an old saying that life comes at you fast, and that couldn’t be more apt for former FA Cup winners, Wigan Athletic.

Back in 2013 under Roberto Martinez and owner, Dave Whelan, the club shocked English football when they downed Manchester City in the Wembley showpiece, substitute Ben Watson scoring the winner in injury time.

Just 10 years later, Wigan have been relegated to League One and have also been deducted four points – which could rise to eight – for non-payment of wages.

Shaun Maloney’s side ended the 2022/23 season on 39 points, having won just 10 games, drawing 15 and losing 21 per BBC Sport.

With consistent non-payment of salaries becoming a real problem for the club, Wigan’s first-team could be looking a whole lot different at the start of 2023/24 than it does at present.

‘Wigan Athletic will be deducted four points from the 2023/24 Sky Bet League One table after failing to pay its players’ wages on time in May 2023 and further to previous breaches of EFL Regulations,’ a statement from the EFL read.

‘The sanction will be applied at the start of the new league campaign with the Club also receiving an additional four-point deduction for season 2023/24, which is to be suspended until 30 June 2024.

‘That sanction will come into effect if the Club’s owner, Mr Abdulrahman Al Jasmi, fails to deposit an amount equal to 125% of the Club’s forecast monthly wage bill in a designated Club account, a key term of the Agreed Decision reached between the EFL and the Club in January, by Wednesday 24 May 2023.

‘The suspended deduction will also be activated if the Club fails to pay its players on time between now and the end of June 2024.

‘In addition, the Club has also had a further three points deducted from its 2022/23 Championship total for the late payment of players’ wages in March 2023 resulting in their final total being 39 points.

‘Mr Al Jasmi was also charged with Misconduct and fined £10,000 for failing to comply with the terms of the Agreed Decision.

‘Both Mr Al Jasmi and the Club have accepted the sanctions, which have been ratified by an independent Disciplinary Commission, and have agreed to pay all associated costs.

‘In January, the Club was charged with Misconduct after it paid its players late on three occasions in June, July and October 2022. Accordingly, it was sanctioned with a suspended three-point deduction and entered an Agreed Decision with the League.

‘The suspended sanction was activated in March when the Club failed to meet its contractual obligations with its players and breached the terms of the Agreed Decision when Mr Al Jasmi failed to deposit 125% of the Club’s forecast of its monthly wage bill into a designated account.’

Like a number of other clubs in recent years, Wigan appear to have been used as an owners plaything, without consideration of what the club means to the community, the staff and the players.

Given that they’ll almost certainly have to shed players to trim the wage bill in any event, one can assume that the club won’t get back up the divisions in a timely fashion.

Indeed, the chances of Wigan dropping further down the pyramid as others have done before them seems more than likely.

It’s seems to be another example of the EFL not doing their due diligence on unscrupulous owners.

Owners that, frankly, should be nowhere near a football club and should be ashamed of themselves.

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English side in trouble as players consider going on a strike – could refuse to play the final game of the season

Mehdi Gokal — Sun, 07 May 2023 16:42:48 +0000

Wigan players are considering going on a strike and refusing to play the last game of the season, according to the latest report from The Sun.

The report claims that the players did not attend training on Saturday after failing to receive all their wages on Friday. And they could now refuse to return to play the final game of the season for the Latics.

The report further adds that some of the players have since then been paid but all those players who are out of contract this summer have still not been paid. It also claims that the players are ‘openly discussing‘ a strike until all outstanding payments are made.

Wigan Athletic’s Bahraini owners have promised to make payments after their game on Monday, but this has failed to appease the disgruntled players.

If the first team players do not show up, Wigan will have to make do with their reserves do field a team against Rotherham United.

Wigan chairman Talal Al Hammad has failed to pay the players in time for the 5th time this season

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