Chapter 633: Rude Awakening!

As the clock began to bleed, neither side looked particularly interested in giving the other an easy route to goal.

United circulated the ball across the back, leaving Wigan pressing in short bursts.

Both sides played as the midfield battle threatened to become the game’s defining feature.

From the stands, the supporters watched the two sides feel each other out, waiting for someone to take the first real risk.

"It’s been a cautious start here at the DW Stadium," Steve Bower observed.

"Neither side has managed to fashion a clear opportunity in these opening minutes."

"Not for lack of quality in midfield," Darren Fletcher replied.

"Look at the players in there. Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro against Leo Calderon, Reyes and Tiehi. That’s a contest in itself.

The trouble is, the rest of the players are almost spectators at the moment. Whoever wins that battle could dictate the game."

While they spoke, Kobbie Mainoo received the ball from Casemiro and turned away from the first Wigan player closing him down.

Rather than carry it into traffic, he played a short pass back towards the Brazilian, who had already begun moving to receive it again.

With the ball coming his way, Reyes was on him immediately.

The Wigan midfielder chased Casemiro across the centre, refusing to give him time to settle, and he wasn’t alone.

Carlo came charging in from the other side, closing the space before the Brazilian could turn comfortably.

For a moment, Casemiro appeared boxed in, but he had been in situations like these before.

When it seemed like the only way out was a pass back, he tilted his body, then let Reyes commit to the challenge.

The Wigan fans were midway through their cheers when Casemiro slipped past him with Reyes with a neat touch.

It was a small movement, hardly spectacular, but it took the Wigan midfielder out of the play.

After that moment, with space ahead, Casemiro released the ball to Alejandro Garnacho on the right before Carlo could arrive, and the Argentine received it without fully turning toward goal.

He slipped a pass inside, then immediately accelerated into the space behind James McClean, dragging the Wigan full-back with him.

The pass was there, but Bruno Fernandes had other ideas.

The Portuguese midfielder let Garnacho’s run pull McClean away before lifting his head to examine the penalty area.

Rasmus H?jlund and Marcus Rashford were already finding positions between Wigan’s defenders, waiting for a delivery.

"Is Bruno going to swing this one in?" Bower asked as Fernandes approached the ball.

Leo thought so, too and wasn’t going to just watch.

He lunged into the passing lane, expecting the cross, but Bruno had used the movement only to draw him forward.

Garnacho had continued his run, and with a subtle shift, Fernandes played him in with a perfectly weighted pass.

The winger took the ball in stride, cut inside McClean and drove into the penalty area as Ben Amos set himself.

While Tilt cut him off, Garnacho shaped as though he would shoot across the goalkeeper, drawing Amos towards the expected angle.

Tilt came in, sliding to stop the ball, but Garnacho just caressed the ball with the inside of his right foot.

Then, with his left foot, he sent the ball arcing towards the far side of the goal.

It was a clever effort.

The ball climbed slowly enough to tempt Amos into believing he could reach it, and it looked like that, until Marcus Rashford arrived.

The forward sprinted across the face of goal and launched himself into the air just as Amos reached for the dropping ball.

His forehead met it first, redirecting it through the goalkeeper’s gloves and towards the inside of the post.

Ben Amos felt his heartbeat against his chest and spun, but all he saw was the ball strike the woodwork before bouncing down.

Then, drawing the air from the lungs of the Wigan fans, it crossed the line.

Rashford crashed onto the turf, but he was already scrambling to his feet as the United players raced towards him.

The away crowd erupted, their roar swallowing the scattered protests from the Wigan end.

"RASHFORD! IT’S IN!" Bower shouted. "Marcus Rashford has turned Garnacho’s effort into the opening goal, and Manchester United have the breakthrough!"

Rashford sprinted towards the corner, sliding across the grass as his teammates chased after him.

Garnacho was among the first to reach him, grabbing him around the shoulders while Bruno followed with both arms raised.

The celebration was met by a different kind of noise from the home end.

"Offside!" some Wigan supporters shouted.

Others called for a foul, convinced Rashford had impeded Amos as the goalkeeper tried to claim the ball.

The referee, however, had no interest in changing his decision.

He pointed towards the centre circle and jogged back into position.

Behind all that, Amos remained on the ground for a moment before pushing himself upright.

He looked towards the official, then glanced back at his defenders.

There was little he could do now except accept the decision and prepare for the restart.

"It’s a difficult one for the goalkeeper," Fletcher said after a brief pause.

"Garnacho’s effort is heading towards the far side, and Rashford gets there just as Amos is trying to gather it. The Wigan players feel he interfered, but the referee has allowed the goal."

After that, Bower returned to the scoreline.

"And after three consecutive clean sheets in the league, Wigan finally concede again. It’s Manchester United who have broken the deadlock at the DW."

Whatmough sat on the turf near the six-yard box, watching the celebration unfold.

He got to his feet, walked into the goal, retrieved the ball, and turned towards his teammates.

"Come on. Shake it off," he called, tossing the ball towards the centre circle.

"We haven’t started yet."

His voice was firm, though the frustration was clear on his face.

The United players were still celebrating as the away supporters began singing behind the goal.

For them, this was more than a lead against the league leaders.

It was a reminder of what had happened in their previous meeting, and an early chance to put that humiliation behind them.

Still, there was always going to be something to go back to for the commentators.

"Remember, folks, that Manchester United also scored first back at Old Trafford. The question now is, how does Wigan respond again?"