By the end Manchester United had won with such ease it was difficult to remember this was the ground where their title hopes suffered a grievous setback during the run-in last season. Wigan Athletic could barely muster a noteworthy attack this time, never mind threaten a repeat of their 1-0 victory, as normal service resumed in a fixture that has tended to be staggeringly one-sided over the years.
Sir Alex Ferguson's team have now scored 54 times in their 17 encounters with this opposition whereas, to give it a little bit of context, Wigan have managed five. On the balance of play it was just a surprise that the Premier League leaders could not add more sheen to their goal difference. At the other end it is no exaggeration to say David de Gea was barely required to finish the match with a single scuff of mud on his kit.
United took some time to get going but once they had found momentum the imbalance of talent was extreme and, for Wigan, brutal. Javier Hernández scored twice, taking his tally for the season to 12, and there was another demonstration of Robin van Persie's sublime gifts, as he also got two. The Dutchman's portfolio as a United player now extends to 19 goals and his first was another beauty. A constant menace, oozing football intelligence, his performance reiterated why Roberto Mancini is now openly citing missing out on Van Persie last summer as the principal reason why Manchester City are seven points behind their neighbours at the top of the table.
Wigan, it must be said, were obliging opponents. Roberto Martínez's team have only one win now in eight league fixtures and their goalkeeper, Ali al-Habsi, is playing with a hesitancy that was not seen last season. United, however, played with great control. Ryan Giggs and Ashley Young were penetrative figures on the wings, Tom Cleverley and Michael Carrick dovetailed nicely in the centre of midfield and Van Persie's partnership with Hernández ensured there was no need to lament the absence of the injured Wayne Rooney.
On the contrary Hernández is flourishing as his replacement, always alert and looking for the half-chance. While Van Persie can score from any angle or distance, Hernández is the classic penalty-box poacher. He has now scored 31 league goals for United and all of them have come from inside the area.
The latest two were a great example of his anticipation in the part of the pitch where he comes alive. Both came from colleagues firing in shots at goal and him pouncing on the rebound. For the first it was Patrice Evra's shot that had been turned away by Habsi. For the second a short free-kick was played to Van Persie and his shot hit the wall. The ball ricocheted into Hernández's path and his finish, on the turn, made it 3-0.
The first had come after 35 minutes and the match was pretty much over as a contest when Van Persie collected the Mexican's pass two minutes before the interval and scored exquisitely. It was forward play of the highest order, turning on to his right foot, fooling the nearest defender Iván Ramis and delaying his shot before expertly curling the ball inside the post.
His second was a much more mundane affair. Wigan got in a mess in defence and the substitute Danny Welbeck turned the ball into Van Persie's path from the right. From six yards out the rest was a formality when a footballer of this ability is playing with such confidence.
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