Manchester City v Wigan - as it happened

Hello. Tonight should answer the age-old question of what happens when two maddeningly inconsistent forces collide. Personally I'm predicting mild farce, defenders running into each other (Kolo Toure and Titus Bramble - please step forward), managers coming to blows on the touchline, the lot. Don't worry medical geeks, I'm not going to label either of Manchester City or Wigan schizophrenic, but it's becoming predictably impossible to tip their games. City are doing their damn best not to take advantage of Liverpool's struggles this season. They've won at Chelsea, and have lost at Hull - and last week were defeated 2-0 at home by Everton. They're five points behind fourth-placed Tottenham having played a game less, and nothing but a win will do here. It would be a surprise if they didn't get it. But this is Manchester City we're talking about. And Wigan? Well, they're a mere four points above West Ham and Hull, which would probably be more worrying for Roberto Martinez if those two sides weren't populated by bumbling fools. They've beaten Chelsea, Aston Villa and Liverpool already this season - that doesn't sound like a team who are looking nervously over their shoulders in 16th. They should just about do enough to stay up, but defeat tonight will at least keep them in the mix. Team news: Man City: Given; Zabaleta, Toure, Kompany, Garrido; Wright-Phillips, Vieira, De Jong, Adam Johnson; Tevez, Adebayor. Subs: Taylor, Richards, Onuoha, Santa Cruz, Sylvinho, Barry, Bellamy. Wigan: Stojkovic; Melchiot, Caldwell, Bramble, Figueroa; Diame, Thomas, Scharner; McCarthy Rodallega; Moreno. Subs: Gohouri, Scotland, Moses, Pollitt, N'Zogbia, Gomez, Sinclair. Oh dear: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire) Roberto Mancini has made four changes to the side that lost to Everton, his side lining up in a conventional 4-4-2 formation. Craig Bellamy, Gareth Barry and Micah Richards have dropped to the bench, while Stephen Ireland is injured. In come Pablo Zabaleta at right-back, Patrick Vieira in midfield, Shaun Wright-Phillips on the right wing and Emmanuel Adebayor partners Carlos Tevez in attack. I'm not sure about Tevez and Adebayor up front together. Injuries and suspension have meant that they've been unable to play too many games together - yet when they have, it hasn't really clicked. City look like they've been more effective with Tevez on his own in attack. It will also be interesting to see if Adam Johnson and Wright-Phillips do play on the left and right respectively. Mancini has favoured inside-out wingers since taking over in December, but I'm not sure if Ian Wright's pride and joy has it in him. There's no doubt about Johnson though. As for Wigan, Roberto Martinez has made one change from the team that beat Burnley 1-0 at the stadium with that name, the injured Chris Kirkland replaced by Vladimir Stojkovic in goal. The Serb has only played four games this season and Wigan haven't won one of them. It looks like Marcelo Moreno will operate as a lone striker, with James McCarthy and Hugo Rodallega flitting in and around him from wide positions. Of more encouragement for Wigan is the presence of Charles N'Zogbia on the bench after injury. I used to live in Manchester. There, we're sharing already. Anyway when I was there, I covered City on quite a few occasions. They had Georgios Samaras up front and I never saw them score a goal. When I left Manchester, they signed Robinho. That nicely sums up my life. As you will no doubt already be aware , tonight is the first night of Passover, the Jewish festival of not being able to eat a sandwich for eight days. Obviously I'm not at my family's Seder night, for I am a Terrible Jew. Still, I'm somewhat miffed to note that Victor MOSES is on the bench for Wigan. ESPN have just been doing their pre-match interview with Roberto Mancini. Sadly I'm unable to report that he called out Martinez, but he did speak while maintaining a very steely glare towards poor old Rebecca Lowe. On that note, just how stupid would you have to be to barge into David Moyes? Which Premier League manager would you feel fairly confident of besting in a tussle? The teams are out. We're on an ad break. Next: the first half. Live. 1 min: Stuart Attwell passes his first test of the night with untypical aplomb, blowing his whistle to get the game underway. City in their blue kit, kick us off, kicking from left to right. Wigan are in their away kit (orange as you ask). 2 min: A confident start by Wigan, winning several loose balls in midfield, taking advantage of the ponderous Patrick Vieira. Hugo Rodallega has already got into a couple of decent positions, but Zabaleta held him off the first time, before the Colombian strayed offside the next time. But it's encouraging for the visitors. 3 min: Probably not for the first time tonight, Carlos Tevez skips past Gary Caldwell just outside the Wigan area and is clumsily brought down for his troubles. Free-kick to City, but Johnson's delivery from the left is poor and is easily headed away by the first defender. A worrying portent of things to come though - Caldwell had something of a shocker against Bolton a couple of weeks ago. 4 min: After that decent opening foray from Wigan, City have found their stride. Wright-Phillips embarked on the first of many adventures down the right tonight, and although Figueroa stood up against him well, the ball eventually found its way into the area - Adebayor met it just outside the six yard box, but was well marshalled by Bramble, and his attempted volley was deflected away for a throw-in. 6 min: "Of all the Premier League managers, I think Rafa Benitez would be the easiest to best in a brawl," says Ty Kreft. "He just doesn't seem to have much fight in him at all. I'd definitely steer clear of Moyes. He would wallop me with his stare alone." 7 min: There's a nice, swift tempo to this match, but Wigan have settled the better of the two sides. Caldwell has plenty of time to knock the ball down the inside right channel for James McCarthy to chase. Shay Given comes hurtling out of his goal to meet the ball, but is grateful for the intervention of Javier Garrido, who clears the ball for a corner with McCarthy waiting to pounce on any mistake. Nothing comes from the corner, although City looked nervy dealing with it. 10 min: A beach ball has just strayed on to the pitch. A steward has confiscated it, a damning indictment of killjoy Britain. 11 min: A decent chance for Adebayor again after excellent work by Tevez. He twisted and turned his way through on the left again, keeping three Wigan defenders occupied, before pulling the ball back for an unmarked Adebayor, whose left-footed shot from 12 yards out is blocked by Bramble. He probably should have done better there, the Togolese striker. Tevez, as ever, is City's best player. 13 min: : Well if there were any doubts about Vladimir Stojkovic, he's gone some way to alleviating them. Wright-Phillips gets into a one-on-one situation with Figueroa, and when the Wigan full-back inexplicably slips, Wright-Phillips chips the ball back for Tevez, whose volley, as he falls, is brilliantly beaten out by the goalkeeper. It looked certain that Tevez would score there. And then shortly afterwards, Stojkovic comes out to catch a cross - and drops the ball. Luckily for him, Figueroa mops up. 14 min: City's defence will always give you a chance. Figueroa's long throw should be easily dealt with by Kolo Toure, only for the hapless defender to shank his volley out for a Wigan corner with no attacker near him. Luckily for him though, the short corner is a waste again. 17 min: Adebayor summoned up some of that effort for which he is not exactly famed to win a throw-in off Melchiot. From that, Adam Johnson's dangerous cross is headed away by Bramble with Tevez lurking behind with intent. 19 min: Tevez is prompting and probing for City and Mohammed Diame desperately chops him down with the striker again picking up a head off steam. From a central position around 35 yards out though, City try to tee up Tevez. Guess what? Wigan's wall was about seven yards away to begin with and Hendry Thomas doesn't exactly have to bust a gut to block Tevez's shot. Well done, Mr Attwell, top officiating as usual. 21 min: Is anyone out there? 22 min: As I suggested before the match, Adebayor and Tevez is not an effective partnership. Adebayor is very static and his presence is having a negative effect on a usually vibrant City attack. 23 min: City's lethargic midfield affords Paul Scharner the time and space to have a shot from 30 yards out, and a cup of tea if he so desired, but his effort skews a few yards wide. 24 min: A few responses to which manager you lot reckon you could physically best. "Wenger's the only correct choice," claims John T. "I mean, he's still French, right?" And this from Peter Wahlberg: "Call me crazy, but I think Avram Grant could be really fierce in a good old-fashioned dustup. Sure he's a bit squidgy and probably pretty even-tempered, but once roused to righteous and gentlemanly anger he would surely fight on to the bitter end. Rather like the Black Knight in Monty Python." 25 min: This game has become flatter than the unleavened bread I'm going to be eating for the next eight days. Tevez is the only player hinting at any quality so far. The rest are a shower. Particularly Adebayor, whose first touch has been atrocious so far. 27 min: Hugo Rodallega cuts in from the left, dodging challenge after challenge from City's defenders. With a clear sight of goal, the striker limbers up to pull the trigger, but a last ditch tackle from Wright-Phillips took the sting out of the shot although Given still had to spring to his left to tip it wide. 28 min: And now it's City's turn to threaten. Tevez again, of course - and again on the left. Cutting inside, he looks to find Adebayor with a chipped curler of a cross. It's beyond the striker but has Stojkovic worried enough to go flying across his goal. He needn't have bothered, there wasn't quite enough curl on it and the anguished cries from the home fans were just for the sake of it. It was never going in. 31 min: Johnson tricks his way to winning a corner off Figueroa on the right. Johnson takes the corner, Wigan defend it well. The ball comes back to Johnson. He crosses. Wigan defend it well. City look fairly clueless at the moment. 32 min: Rodallega is down after a heavy but clumsy challenge from Vincent Kompany. He should be ok, but Wigan do have a free-kick roughly 30 yards from goal. Moreno takes it and although it's straight into the wall, the ball squirms through for Paul Scharner to whip a swerving shot with his right foot that requires a low sprawling save from the very good shot-stopper Shay Given. That's the closest Wigan have come to a goal. 34 min: "Rafa may not have much fight in him but he would always have to option of sitting on his opponent," writes a vindicative Colin Greer. "He could probably sit on three or four at a time, too." 36 min: It's never particularly loud at the City of Manchester Stadium, but it's noticeably quiet tonight. The crowd have been put on edge by an error-strewn display by City so far. 37 min: A terrific pass by Rodallega from left to right releases Moreno behind Kompany and Garrido. Just outside the area, the ball stands up invitingly for the volley from Moreno. It's still flying through the air as I type. 39 min: "Simple solution to ensuring that the wall is back ten yards - change the rule to twelve yards," offers Gary Naylor. They'd still sneak forward, I reckon. 40 min: Another missive from Gary Naylor: "I'm with you on Tevez being more effective as a lone striker, but then again there aren't many strikers who are suited to playing upfront as one of a pair. Most forwards are better leading the line on their own or playing in the hole as a false Nine (or, like Rooney, able to do either). Yet you still hear pundits and phone-fodder on 606 insist that playing one up front is negative - the World Cup will lay that myth to rest forever I trust. See Jonathan Wilson for the reasons why." 41 min: Wigan are very much in control of this game - and whenever City look like mustering an attack, a Wigan player steps in with a niggly foul, the sort you never see punished with a yellow card. It would do much for the spectacle if they were though, and Mario Melchiot is the latest offender, bringing down Johnson just inside Wigan's half. 42 min: Another speedy break from Rodallega ends wastefully. He broke against a retreating City defence, before slipping a pass through to Moreno. Again the Bolivian is careless however, his heavy touch allowing Garrido to set block the shot. Moreno is forced to pass the ball back to Scharner on the edge of the area and his shot is high and wide. City immediately attack, Tevez again charging at Caldwell, but this time the defender performs adequately, standing up to Tevez, who goes down. Feeble shouts for a penalty are waved away by Attwell. 44 min: Tevez is now being booed for what the Wigan fans perceived as a dive. And City's entire team are a few minutes away from being booed off by their own supporters. 45 min: There will be two minutes of the added stuff. 45 min + 1: "I should remind you that City lost to Sheffield United 2 years ago after the ball hit a bunch of balloons," says Peter Green. "It's for our own safety as City fans." 45 min + 2: Well just before half-time, Mancini has stormed down the tunnel with the game still going on. All right, his team was rubbish, but maybe if he told them to play with a bit more tempo, they wouldn't be so mind-numbingly boring to watch. The camera pans to Craig Bellamy on the bench, who runs his hands down his face in exasperation. And with that, Stuart Attwell brings a drab half to a close. Allow me to catch up with an overflowing inbox after my plea for some company on 21 minutes. "I have to disagree with John T.'s assertion that Wenger would be the easiest manger to take in a fight," says Mike Hanton. "He might not be a brawler like Moyes or McCarthy but he has the look of a man who would instantly disable an opponent with a lightning-fast blow to a pressure point before walking away, possibly smoking a very thin cigarette." "Upping (downing?) the stakes on the Wenger = French = pushover comment, Wenger on punch: "I didn't see it (coming)"]," parps Glenn McCulley. "Then again, surely Mancini himself is a good candidate: certainly couldn't bear hands laid on his cashmere coat, and... well... the Italian's don't enjoy a better reputation than the French, now, do they. Soon as there's the tickliest hint of physical contact, he'd be on the floor, hands clutching his face, writhing as if electrocuted.. and hoping the ref'll blow." "And as to whom would be the last one I'd want to fight, the suggestion of Grant HAS to be correct," says Robert G Pentland. "Isn't service in the Israeli military compulsory for all males at some point? Either he or Fergie, who would likely go for the quick kick to the bobbles. He just seems that sort of guy." "No, Ancelotti would be the easiest," claims Mark Grosse. "He looks like startled teddy bear. Watch out for O'Neill though. Behind those glasses and cerebral exterior, there lurks darkness." "You're right about Adebayor and Tevez forming a poor partnership," offers Christopher Brown. "Both good finishers, but neither can really hold the ball in order to assist the other. Where is Stephen Ireland when they need him?" That really was a woeful half of football. City are apparently unaware that there's a Champions League place up for grabs, so dozy have their players been. Without wishing to sound like Sam Allardyce, has Mancini got much more than an exotic name? Certainly this City side under the Italian have played without ambition or attacking intent whenever I've watched them, and I'm not sure a slow passing game is what's required in the English leagues. Maybe in Italy, but not here, as Wigan's athletic midfielders, Diame and Thomas, have been all over City's meek pair, Vieira and De Jong, all night. As for Vieira and De Jong, neither are capable of incisiveness, so pairing them again feels like a mismatch. Wigan will be quietly confident of nicking something here. "I cannot help thinking that a Wenger v Moyes showdown would pan out something like this ," says Brian Rafferty. 46 min: City have made a substitution at half-time, replacing Wright-Phillips with Craig Bellamy, who should go to the left and Johnson to the right. Wigan get us back underway, and pump the ball forward to get us right back into the head tennis. After a bit of a scrap, Vieira tries to pick out Johnson but his pass is easily intercepted by Figueroa. See what I mean? 47 min: Adebayor has the ball in the Wigan net but he was a couple of yards offside. Johnson isolated Figueroa and touched the ball back for Tevez, whose fierce low shot was spilled in the middle of the goal by Stojkovic. Adebayor turned in the rebound but it won't count. That was poor from Stojkovic and a warning for Wigan. 48 min: A brilliant marauding run from Vincent Kompany of all people, feinting past flailing challenges, is halted by Titus Bramble just inside Wigan's area, and the ball is cleared. 49 min: City have started this half well. Perhaps they're more frightened of Mancini than Moyes was. Johnson is having a better effect on the right, and his run along the right touchline engages Wigan defenders. He managed to jink past Figueroa, but the end product was lacking. 52 min: Wigan are down to ten at the moment as Hendry Thomas has picked up a thigh injury. Charles N'Zogbia has come on in his place. He goes to the right, McCarthy moves into the middle. 53 min: That was a chance for Paul Scharner - or at least it would have been if he had produced a surer touch when, having got in behind the City defence, he attempted to pluck a long, high ball from the sky. 54 min: It's picking up a bit now. First City wanted a penalty when Bellamy's pass struck Caldwell on the hand - I haven't seen a replay but City were furious that Attwell gave nothing. With City still fuming, Zabaleta made a hash of clearing McCarthy's quick free-kick, allowing the ball to drop for Rodallega, who shot just wide with Given beaten. 55 min: Gary Caldwell has just been sent of for Wigan for a reckless lunge on Carlos Tevez, who is off receiving treatment. City have a free-kick so more on this shortly. 57 min: Garrido curls the free-kick harmlessly over. Right. Tevez fought through tackles from Diame and McCarthy and as the ball ran loose, he appeared to lift his foot to tread on the ball. Perhaps acting in self defence having seen Tevez possibly about to sort-of-stamp on him, Caldwell leapt into a foolish tackle which left the striker in a heap. Attwell instantly produced a red card. I'm not sure. Caldwell went off but not before delivering a few choice words here or there. 58 min: The ten men of Wigan so very nearly take the lead, Moreno cutting in from the right and unleashing a superb left-footed shot this far wide of the far post. Again, Given was beaten. That would have been a brilliant goal. 59 min: You'd think it was City who'd just lost a man. Again Wigan threaten, N'Zogbia releasing the overlapping Figueroa, who stands the ball up for Rodallega at the far post. Luckily for City, Rodallega was caught in two minds and flicked the ball wide when perhaps a header might have broken the deadlock. 62 min: Vieira's lofted pass sends Tevez clear of the Wigan defence, but with a clear chance on goal, he tries to square it for an onrushing Adebayor and Bramble slides in to clear the ball for a corner. Tevez should have shot there. The corner came to nothing, by the way. 64 min: Wigan are stretched now and Bellamy finds Johnson in space on the right of the area, but the youngster's cutback went behind both the waiting Adebayor and Tevez in the middle. A goal appears imminent however. In all the fuss a few minutes ago, I neglected to mention that Javier Garrido was booked for a bad tackle. 67 min: Zabaleta has been booked for a crude foul on Rodallega, who had beaten him all ends up in the middle of City's half. The full-back will miss City's next two games as that was his tenth booking of the season. 68 min: From the resulting free-kick, Rodallega blazes the ball high and wide, an effort which may have somewhat displeased the defenders who had ambled forward in hope of a cross. 69 min: "Mancini's been a bit bizarre lately, hasn't he? asks Peter Wahlberg. "Last match he has that frank exchange of views with Moyes and now he slinks down the tunnel, tail tucked firmly between legs, before the half's even over. He's like the stereotypical drunk guy at the party who has suddenly realized he's the stereotypical drunk guy at the party: after loudly bragging about himself and a weird belligerent spell he sneaks away unnoticed to fall asleep in a bush composing the apologies he'll have to give the hosts tomorrow." Tevez is at the middle of every controversy tonight. He got into the Wigan area but the ball ran away from him - however Scharner had foolishly slid in and caught Tevez with his trailing leg. Tevez went down but it was a little late and Attwell says no again. 70 min: Tevez is down again , this time after a collision with Bramble as he went up for a header from Zabaleta's cross. Newcastle are 1-0 up against Nottingham Forest by the way. GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Wigan (Tevez, 72 min) That's appalling goalkeeping from Stojkovic. Vieira, just outside the Wigan area, dinked a pass over the defence that found Tevez onside. Stojkovic came hurtling off his line to confront the striker, but was cowed by Adebayor's presence too. Adebayor stuck out a leg to poke the ball past him, and Tevez tapped it into an empty net. That was just woeful from Stojkovic, who just opened up his body instead of clearing the ball or picking it up. GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Wigan (Tevez, 74) City have been trying to work the short corner routine all night, and it's finally come off. Bellamy touched the ball to Garrdio, who stepped past a feeble tackle before sending in a low cross which deceived everyone - apart from Tevez, who was waiting at the far post and slid in to turn the ball past Stojkovic. That should be game over. 77 min: Titus Bramble has been booked for a foul on Tevez, who has taken this game by the scruff of the neck. Just before City's second by the way, Adebayor missed a great chance to score. Tevez lobbed a ball through for him to chase and again Stojkovic might have got there if he wasn't so indecisive. He came, decided he couldn't get there and we were treated to the farcical sight of him backtracking towards his own goal. However Adebayor took far too much time when he seemed poised to score and Paul Scharner nipped in with an excellent last-ditch tackle. 79 min: "Perhaps the amount of incident is making up for the absence of quality, but I had hoped if that wasn't the case then next season 4th place would be retired," writes Ian Copestake. I was wondering where he was. 82 min: Tevez is caught offside, allowing Wigan to make their final two changes. Steve Gohouri replaces Marcelo Moreno, and the rather good Hugo Rodallega trots off, the rather average Jason Scotland on in his place. 83 min: City don't deserve a victory of this margin, but if they fancy it there are more goals in this for them against dispirited opponents. Goal difference, after all, could be vital in deciding who gets that fourth spot at the end of the season. GOAL! Manchester City 3-0 Wigan (Tevez, 84) Well, they've taken my advice and Tevez has a 12-minute hat-trick. He skipped past a tired tackle from Scharner, advanced into the right side of the area and with Bramble unable to get across in time, Tevez simply placed the ball into the far corner. Stojkovic went left, the ball went right. Tevez jumped into the crowd and picked up a booking because of it. 87 min: Wigan were well in this game until Caldwell's sending off. I'm still dubious about whether it was a red card. It wasn't pretty, that's for sure, but Tevez wasn't exactly innocent either. 88 min: Carlos Tevez, who has been excellent and well worth his three goals, comes off to a standing ovation. Sylvinho, 103, jogs on in his place. Nedum Onuoha is also on for Javier Garrido. 89 min: "It probably is just me but it seems as if most strikers have scored the most goals they have ever scored in a season no matter how poorly their team is doing," says Ian Copestake. "Rooney is getting close to Dixie Dean scoring levels, and probably Tevez has just bagged his 20th or some such. Defending these days is pants, no?" 90 min: The goalkeeping for Tevez's first goal was truly inept. Instead of just scooping the ball away - and he would have won a free kick if he'd used his hands - Stojkovic just did nothing. There'll be five minutes more of this. 90 min+ 1: City are just playing out time now and Wigan aren't being allowed a touch. Before that first goal, the crowd was restless and City were running out of ideas. A draw was very much on the cards, but City have been handed this game on a plate. 90 min+ 3: That should have been a fourth for City. Sylvinho's cross from the left is just too high for Adebayor, but reaches Bellamy at the far post with Titus Bramble just, you know, marking the six yard box. With the goal gaping however, the usually reliable Bellamy let the ball slip under his foot. Peep, peep, peep. Stuart Attwell calls time on an odd game. City were woeful in the first half and Wigan were threatening to sneak a vital win. But Caldwell's red card just before the hour changed the game. For a while it looked like City might struggle to break down Wigan's ten men, but a moment of inept folly from Vladimir Stojkovic changed the game. From there City were never going to lose, and while they didn't deserve such a resounding victory, the wonderful Carlos Tevez did merit his hat-trick. The win moves City above Liverpool and into fifth, just two points behind Tottenham. Wigan stay 16th, four points above the relegation zone. Thanks for all your emails (from 21 minutes onwards), sorry I couldn't use them all. Jacob out.