Two Generations Star As United Waste Wigan

“Welcome to Manchester!” in more ways than one for the newcomers to Old Trafford, Alex Büttner and Nick Powell, as Sir Alex employs a line-up without Cleverley, Evra, Kagawa, van Persie, and Valencia, among the noticeable absences.

Büttner, Chicharito, Danny Welbeck, and Ryan Giggs start, with squad rotation in the mind ahead of two huge fixtures this week against Galatasaray in the Champions League and Liverpool at Anfield.

Ferguson’s purchase to cover-and-motivate Evra won over the fans by demonstrating tenaciousness, good pace, and an effective overlap.

He also opened his United account with penetrating – and somewhat fortunate, at one point – mazy run through the box and a short-range missile off Al-Habsi to make it 3-0.

Welcome to United indeed, Mr. Büttner, my co-Man of the Match.

Next, we consider the second-half substitute, Nick Powell, who security did not recognize upon his first day’s training at Carrington, ironically enough, needs no further introduction Old Trafford faithful with a nice touch to space followed by a laser from the top of the box past the helpless keeper to make it 4-0 in his first appearance.

Powell came on for Scholes and seemed to replicate the ginger-haired-assassin’s presence on the pitch, albeit for 18 minutes with United well ahead. Composure, a few penetrating passes forward, followed by a trademark strike capped off a bright start for the man from Crewe Alexandra.

Mr. Powell, you won’t be anonymous at Old Trafford, or Carrington, for that matter, ever again. Consider yourself part of the fold.

Beyond the debutants, this return-to-normal-service match didn’t start that way though, with Chicharito missing a soft penalty awarded to United in the 6th minute, as Al-Habsi pulled out of a challenge with Welbeck.

Maybe, just maybe there’s a bit of contact, but if you can’t tell even on super-slow-motion replay, then decision seems quite harsh.

You wondered if this would be one of those days, with the score tied at nil-nil at half. In a reverse-psychological-way, knowing that Wigan have never beaten United on this ground, as the commentators remind us, as thousands of Red Devils knock on wood across the globe. Squandered opportunities, especially penalties, can backfire on teams even early in matches.

However, United gave up a few semi-decent counter-attacking chances, but largely remained in control of the match moving into the second half.

Then, he scores goals in the 51^st minute, my other co-Man of the Match.

Every single inch-perfect pass, turn, clumsy challenge, and goal is cherished by Red Devils, having already mourned Scholes retiring once.

Everything, absolutely everything he does on the pitch now is pure gravy, including THAT look of pure child-like joy, after scoring, is as infectious as ever. Pure and utter delight, as it should be. Brilliant.

Looking back now, from the larger perspective, the symbolism dripping off the result – Scholes’ 700^th appearance for United, Giggs’ 600^th Premier League match, and Sir Alex’s 500^th home league match – seems entirely fitting for this campaign.

It makes total sense that Scholesy should break the game’s duck and that two debutants should open up their accounts all in the same match. Past glory meets future promise on the pitch, all from the games best alchemist, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Looking into a future, you sense that our beloved gaffer’s meticulously developed the club’s culture for long-term success.

He’s built a world-class organization, one where everyone’s involved, from the tea lady to manger, one where you expect late goals, one where youth is nurtured as well as given opportunity, and one where nobody’s bigger than the club. Nobody.

There is a United way, and for that, we are all immeasurably thankful.

And this match is as symbolic as it gets.