Wigan 0-2 Man Utd

The Welsh winger calmly slotted home United's second goal 11 minutes from time in front of the ecstatic United faithful, who made up a significant number of what proved to be a record 25,133 attendance for the hosts, after Wayne Rooney had picked him out with a defence-splitting pass.

The United veteran's cool finish triggered the title celebrations in the stands, as United made certain of the result that they needed after Cristiano Ronaldo had put them ahead with a first-half spot kick to give the champions a slender lead that never looked sufficient against a lively Wigan side.

United went into this north-west derby encounter knowing that they had to equal or better Chelsea's result at home to Bolton in order to retain the crown for the fifth time.

But the home side, who had long ensured their Premier League status for another year, made a lively start, with Jason Koumas surging into space only to drag his shot wide.

Emmerson Boyce might have fired Wigan in front, but his close range snapshot went sky high.

At the other end, Chris Kirkland did well to palm a long range Ronaldo free kick to safety.

But the league leaders went ahead from the spot after 31 minutes, Ronaldo calmly sending Kirkland the wrong way after Boyce had been adjudged to have brought down Wayne Rooney down in a crowded Wigan penalty area.

The decision incensed the Wigan players, who had just seen Rio Ferdinand handle in his own area, only for the referee to ignore their appeals for a penalty.

The home side were to be angered further moments later when Paul Scholes, who had already been booked on 14 minutes, cynically body-checked Boyce, but was not sent off by referee Steve Bennett.

After a freak downpour during the interval that soaked the playing surface and made the floodlights necessary, Kirkland again saved brilliantly to deny Ronaldo once more before getting down well to tip Rooney's low effort round a post.

Owen Hargreaves and Giggs replaced Scholes and Ji-Sung Park in the United midfield just after the hour and it was Giggs who sparked the United celebrations by doubling their lead 11 minutes from the end through Rooney's precise through ball.

And, though Wigan went close to pulling back a goal in the closing stages, there was no way back for them as United celebrated.

TEAMS:
Wigan: Kirkland, Boyce, Bramble, Scharner, Figueroa, Valencia, Palacios, Brown (King 81), Koumas, Bent (Sibierski 70), Heskey.
Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Taylor, Skoko.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes (Hargreaves 67), Park (Giggs 68), Tevez, Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Saha, Silvestre.

Goals: Ronaldo 33 pen, Giggs 80.

Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent).

Attendance: 25,133.