Second half was much improved with the Latics utilising the width of the pitch much better and Zaki's equaliser was more than deserved.
Lee Cattermole was sent off late on tte game for over commitment, as the Latics pressed for a winner.
Here is the reaction of the two managers.
Eric Black [assistant manager]
They deserve enormous credit, they really have worked brilliantly, every single one of them. We've had five or six away all over the world and to come back last night and to go and perform again was fantastic.
We've got a lot of willing boys in that dressing room who have again shown magnificent character.
They were unbelievable today. To constantly go at them like we did and get the goal back was excellent. We've been like this recently and we certainly deserve more than four points.
I didn't really see the red card so I can't really comment. Lee was excellent today though, his appetite for the game is unbelievable. He gets about the pitch and gets people together. He wins the ball back for us and distributes it well.
It wasn't the best of strikes [Zaki's goal] but he will certainly take it! That was probably his least effective game and he was still fantastic. That just shows the type of player he is. He worked hard and deserved to get his goal.
Roy Keane
We were put under pressure but, away from home, teams are going to have a go at you. Wigan put plenty of balls into the box, they are a strong team and we expected it.
A draw away from home in the Premier League is not the end of the world. I was disappointed with our use of the ball in the second half but that will come over the next few weeks.
If Djibril [Cisse] took his chance in the second half, the game is over. But if you don't take the chances, it can come back to haunt you. Generally, we dealt with the crosses today but it was one too many and the striker for them [Zaki], who is sharp, took his chance well.
I thought the two lads making their debuts [McCartney and Ferdinand] did well. George had had two tough games for Northern Ireland last week. We defended OK because Wigan put balls into the box and I don't remember Craig [Gordon] making too many saves.
We stood up to the battle and we know we can do a lot better with the ball. We got bullied here last year, we didn't today and we had the best chances. We were happy with the point - maybe a draw was a fair result. There were good signs today and we move on to a big game next weekend.
Wigan had a man sent off near the end but I think by then both teams were looking to settle for a draw. We're trying to change the mentality of the players because our away form last season was so poor.
We've got to try to make sure we get soemthing out of the games away from home, and we did it today.
Player Ratings
Chris Kirkland - 6 - Relatively quiet day at the office but did make a good save from Cisse one-on-one.
Mario Melchiot - 6 - Fairly quiet frist half but grew into the game.
Maynor Figueroa - 6 - Did well to keep Malbranque quiet and got forward better in the second period.
Emmerson Boyce - 7 - Consistent defensive performance from Boycey.
Titus Bramble - 5- Another rush of the blood to the head from Titus.
Antonio Valencia - 6 - Not quite his usual buzzing self on the right flank.
Kevin Kilbane - 5 - Poor by his own standard and seemed worried about taking a knock to the head.
Wilson Palacios - 6 - Started very slowly but as ever worked hard.
Lee Cattermole - 7 - Unlucky to be sent off and if all the players showed the same work ethic and commitment, the result would have been very different.
Emile Heskey - 6 - Found himself isolated too often when receiving the ball.
Amr Zaki - 7 - Another workman like display from the striekr who also has plenty of ability. Five in five now for the Zak who fast becomnig a fans favourite.
The Table
| Latest match Saturday, 13th September 2008 | Pld | Home | Away | Overall | Pts | GD | |||||||||||||||||
| W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | |||||||||
| 1 | Liverpool | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 10 | +3 | ||||
| 2 | Arsenal | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 9 | +7 | ||||
| 3 | Chelsea | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 7 | +5 | ||||
| 4 | Hull City | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 7 | -3 | ||||
| 5 | Manchester City | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 6 | +4 | ||||
| 6 | Fulham | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 6 | +1 | ||||
| 7 | West Ham United | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 0 | ||||
| 8 | Middlesbrough | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 0 | ||||
| 9 | Portsmouth | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 6 | -1 | ||||
| 10 | Wigan Athletic | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 4 | +3 | ||||
| 11 | Aston Villa | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 4 | +1 | ||||
| 12 | Bolton Wanderers | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | ||||
| 13 | Manchester United | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | ||||
| 14 | West Bromwich Albion | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | -1 | ||||
| 15 | Newcastle United | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | -3 | ||||
| 16 | Sunderland | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | -3 | ||||
| 17 | Blackburn Rovers | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 4 | -6 | ||||
| 18 | Stoke City | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 3 | -2 | ||||
| 19 | Everton | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 3 | -3 | ||||
| 20 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | -2 | ||||
Next Up
Next for the Latics is difficult trip to White Hart Lane to face Tottenham next Sunday afternoon.
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