Manchester United won the first game of the new year in 2024.

Manchester United defeated Wigan Athletic of League One (Third Division) in the third round (round of 64) of the 2023-24 English Football Association Cup held at the DW Stadium in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England on the 9th (Korean time). It was defeated by -0.

Manchester United faced lower league side Wigan and did not face any significant crisis. Manchester United, who dominated the game one-sidedly, played attacking soccer, attempting more than 30 shots in 90 minutes. As a result, the team won without difficulty thanks to goals from Diogo Dalo and Bruno Fernandez in the first and second halves, respectively.

Rather than a pleasant victory that makes us look forward to 2024. Manchester United's 2023 ended in an unforgettable move. On the last day of last year, he bowed his head as he lost 1-2 in the 20th round of the Premier League against Nottingham Forest. I thought I had achieved a turning point by overturning a 0-2 loss to 3-2 in the home game against Aston Villa before the end of the year.

It was a very dramatic comeback match. In a situation where confidence had dropped significantly as the team had gone scoreless in four consecutive games, they turned the tide by producing a Pele score. It was a victory that was all good as Rasmus Høirun, who was in a hurry, scored his Premier League debut goal.

However, against Nottingham, Manchester United showed ups and downs again. I couldn't find the confidence I thought I would have had. Manchester United, who immediately lost despite their miraculous comeback win, has already suffered their 9th defeat in the Premier League this season. It has been 34 years since the 1989-90 season that Manchester United suffered a lethargic performance of 9 losses in the first 20 league games.

When Manchester United missed their long-awaited opportunity for a winning streak, harsh criticism from experts followed. Jamie Redknapp, a former Liverpool pundit at Sky Sports, said: “Manchester United players seem to be playing under pressure. It is terrible to watch Manchester United play. They are inconsistent. They lack ambition and desire. “I feel like I’m playing under duress,” he said, expressing his disappointment at being forced to play.

There is a serious lack of consistency. Former Manchester United legend Gary Neville also expressed his dismay, saying, "Nottingham was a better team than Manchester United. Manchester United has reverted to its worst form." Coach Eric ten Haag, who is unable to break the trend of poor performance, also expressed his frustration, saying, "We are inconsistent. We can beat the best teams in the league, but we sometimes lose games we should have won. The game against Nottingham is one of them."

I spent a week recovering. The new year of 2024 dawned and Manchester United played its first game against Wigan in the lower league. In the meantime, Manchester United did their best to organize their squad. Donny van de Beek, who had been classified as a surplus resource for a long time, was loaned out to Eintracht Frankfurt, and Sergio Reguilon also stopped his loan midway and returned to Tottenham Hotspur. Jadon Sancho is also imminent with a loan move to his hometown Borussia Dortmund.

With the clean-up work in full swing, they hoped to advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup. Against Wigan, coach Ten Haag put forward an elite starting list. With Høirun at the front line, Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, and Alejandro Garnacho were placed in the second line. Kobe Mainu and Scott McTominay worked together in defensive midfield. The back four consisted of Diogo Dalo, Johnny Evans, Raphael Varane, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and the goal was guarded by Andre Onana.

Manchester United clearly had the upper hand in the weight class difference. He had a dominant performance against Wigan in the first half, firing 17 shots. There was only one scene that could be called a crisis right after kickoff. In the 2nd minute of the first half, a pass was cut off in the opposing half, allowing a counterattack, and they were in danger of conceding a goal, but goalkeeper Onana made a save.

After that, they concentrated on the attack without much threat. Manchester United shook Wigan regardless of left or right. When Garnacho mainly penetrated the right side with his speed, Rashford, who was looking for opportunities on the left side, actively shot, which worked well. In the 13th minute of the first half, Rashford caught the ball after Garnacho's shot was blocked by the defense and finished with his right foot, but it was blocked by the goalkeeper. 안전놀이터

McTominay also had a chance. In the 19th minute of the first half, Manchester United showed exquisite passing work in front of the opponent's arc, but McTominay, who was rushing to the goal, only slightly changed direction and shot a shot that missed the goal. Still, Manchester United continued to dominate the atmosphere, so it wasn't long before Manchester United's first goal was scored. In the 21st minute of the first half, he cut to the right and sent a cross to the other side, which Rashford received and passed to Darlo. Dalo struck the net with an exquisite right foot strike near the center of the penalty box.