Statistics & Post-Match Quotes | Manchester United 4-0 Wigan Athletic

TEAM STATISTICS

MUFC PLAYER STATISTICS

* Anders Lindegaard (goalkeeper): 12/16 passing (75%), 1/4 long balls, 0 goals conceded, 1 save

* Rio Ferdinand (right-center-back): 41/42 passing (98%), 3/4 long balls, 1 tackle, 4 interceptions, 6 clearances (4 effective), 1 shot blocked, 0 fouls

* Nemanja Vidic (left-center-back | substituted off 77'): 28/33 passing (85%), 4/7 long balls, 0 tackles, 1 interception, 2 clearances (1 effective), 0 shots blocked, 1 foul

* Rafael (right-back): 32/40 passing (80%), 0 chances created, 0/3 crosses, 1/2 long balls, 3 tackles, 2 interceptions, 5 clearances (2 effective), 0 shots blocked, 1 foul

* Alexander Buttner (left-back): 31/35 passing (89%), 2 chances created, 0/7 crosses, 0/0 long balls, 1 tackle, 1 interception, 2 clearances (1 effective), 1 shot blocked, 4 fouls, 1 goal, 1 assist

* Paul Scholes (central-midfield | substituted off 71'): 41/45 passing (91%), 0 chances created, 0/0 crosses, 7/10 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 3 tackles, 1 interception, 2 shots (1 on target), 1 goal

* Michael Carrick (central-midfield): 48/57 passing (84%), 1 chance created, 1/2 crosses, 5/8 long balls, 0/1 through balls, 1 tackle, 1 interception, 0 shots

* Nani (right-winger): 33/39 passing (85%), 3 chances created, 4/8 crosses, 1/1 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 3 successful dribbles, 4 fouls won, 0 tackles, 0 interceptions, 5 shots (0 on target)

* Ryan Giggs (left-winger | substituted off 72'): 28/35 passing (80%), 3 chances created, 1/5 crosses, 3/5 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 1 successful dribble, 0 fouls won, 0 tackles, 0 interceptions, 0 shots

* Danny Welbeck (striker): 23/26 passing (88%), 1 chance created, 0/0 crosses, 0/0 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 1 successful dribble, 1 foul won, 5 tackles, 1 interception, 7 shots (0 on target)

* Javier Hernandez (striker): 21/25 passing (84%), 2 chances created, 1/3 crosses, 0/1 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 0 successful dribbles, 4 fouls won, 3 tackles, 0 interceptions, 2 shots (2 on target), 1 goal, 1 assist

* Robin van Persie (striker | substituted on 71'): 8/10 passing (80%), 1 chance created, 0/2 accurate crosses, 0/0 long balls, 0/1 through balls, 0 successful dribbles, 0 fouls won, 1 tackle, 0 interceptions, 1 shot (0 on target)

* Nick Powell (central-midfield | substituted on 72'): 12/16 passing (75%), 0 chances created, 0/0 crosses, 1/2 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 1 tackle, 0 interceptions, 1 shot (1 on target), 1 goal

* Jonny Evans (center-back | substituted on 77'): 5/5 passing (100%), 0/0 long balls, 0 tackles, 0 interceptions, 1 clearance (0 effective), 0 shots blocked, 0 fouls

POST-MATCH QUOTES

Sir Alex Ferguson | MUFC manager (courtesy of MUTV)

(On the plethora of second-half goals...) "It was a pleasing part. Last year, we lost the league on goal difference and it won't happen again."

(Overall thoughts on the match...) "I thought the first half of the game never got started. Wigan were taking a minute for every goal-kick and slowed the game down. They kept possession well and are quite an aggressive team to play against, giving a lot of fouls away and stopping the game that way. Once we got the speed of the game right in the second half, it made a difference for us as we became more aggressive in terms of getting the ball back and making good tackles in midfield. That set a pattern with the crowd as it got them up. Scoring the first goal is always important in these type of matches and we ran out good winners."

(On Chicharito's penalty, the attack, and on Scholes' goal...) "It wasn't a great penalty. It can affect you a little bit in the sense you think you're having a good start but have to start again. We had a lot of strikes on goal in the first half without scoring. Danny Welbeck, in particular, had five strikes on goal. In the second half, we played the way we want to play and should play all the time with pace, speed and very good penetration. It turned out to be a good day for us. It's fantastic Paul scored - that is what we always remember him for as a young player, ghosting into the penalty box. Obviously, as he's got older, he doesn't need to do that as we prefer him to play in central midfield but he scored on his 100th appearance, 200th, 300th, 400th, 500th, not his 600th, but now on his 700th appearance and it's fantastic."

(On Powell...) "Nick Powell is going to be a really good player. He has a great temperament. He has two feet and is quick. He is a great striker of the ball. For a boy of 18, he's not 19 until next March, it's been a terrific day for him."

(On Buttner...) "Some of Büttner's play was good but I think he was a little bit rash at times. He has a great engine and great enthusiasm for the game but he's raw with a lot of rough edges there. We think we can develop that and hopefully he can be a really good addition to the team. He scored a lot of goals in Holland and was determined enough to get that goal. It was a little bit lucky, I don't know if it got a deflection or not, but he showed his willingness to get in there and deserved it."

Alexander Buttner | MUFC defender

(Overall thoughts on his Manchester United debut...) "If I play I want to let him [Sir Alex Ferguson] see that I can do a good job. Today I think I did that. I'm happy that I can play my first minutes in the first team. It's great that we won and I scored and gave a pass for Chicharito to score. It's a dream for me. I was told yesterday I was going to play. I wasn't nervous until I was standing on the field, looking around. I think it's normal to be a little bit nervous if you play in front of so many people. In Holland, I played in front of 23,000 so it's beautiful to play for so many more people. I'm happy today. I've scored my first goal in my first game and I'll never forget it."

Roberto Martinez | Wigan Athletic manager

(On his irritation of Welbeck earning an early penalty...) "For Danny Welbeck's last challenge, his foot was over the ball on Franco. It is completely reckless. Under the new regulations you cannot do that. I am not arguing whether they should be in the game or not. That is for others. But with the laws as they are, you cannot tackle people like that. The foot is over the ball. It is reckless and dangerous. It is a red card, for a Wigan player, Manchester United, everyone."

(Furthermore on the penalty and on the refereeing...) "I was (irritated). You could see it. You know what he is trying to do. I have come to United three times before today and for whatever reason we don't seem to be measured in the same manner as the team at home. Today the penalty is as bad a decision as you are going to see in the Premier League. In many ways, you feel as though you are fighting against a mountain. There were tackles flying around that if they had been the other way round there would have been a couple of red cards."