United meets Wigan as EPL title beckons

LONDON - Reuters

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney scores his side’s first goal of the game from the penalty spot against Queen Park Rangers during a Premier League match. AP photo

Manchester United makes the short journey to a happy hunting ground at Wigan Athletic where the team have won every time it has played and where it is likely to take another step to retaining its Premier League title tonight.

Manchester City, who has fallen eight points behind United and now has a near impossible task of regaining the lead it held in the title race for five months, is at home to West Bromwich Albion.

The only thing certain thing about that match is that disgraced Italian Mario Balotelli will not be playing for City after being sent off in the defeat at Arsenal on Sunday with his coach Roberto Mancini saying he will probably sell him once the season is over.

Arsenal, meanwhile, can firm up its grip on third place if they inflict a sixth successive defeat on relegation-bound and bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux.

The night’s other match sees two of last season’s promoted sides, QPR and Swansea City, with QPR still battling against a return to the Championship and mid-table Swansea looking ahead to a second season in the Premier League.