Victor Moses - game changer

Before this game Roy Hodgson patronised Wigan by saying their summer bid for Peter Odemwingie was “a little bit like West Brom trying to sign Lionel Messi”. Hodgson’s ill-considered comments may have helped to motivate the Latics who fought back from a goal down to take the three points.

West Brom had started the brighter of the two teams with Chris Brunt heading wide and then blasting a shot which Ali Al-Habsi tipped onto the cross-bar and over. Gary Caldwell also did brilliantly to deflect a goal bound shot from Odemwingie.

As per usual Wigan managed to maintain a high level of possession and looked to be gaining a foothold in the game until the 32nd minute when Caldwell was adjudged to have fouled Shane Long. From the resulting free-kick Steven Reid superbly curled the ball into the top corner with Al-Habsi stranded.

West Brom pushed for a quick second, but Wigan were the team to score next when Youssouf Mulumbu cut out Mohammed Diame’s cross only for Victor Moses to expertly curl the ball into the top corner. It was a brilliant finish by Moses, his first goal of the season.

The second Wigan goal was once again the result of great play by Moses who turned Reid inside out before the desperate defender tripped him in the box. Jordi Gomez calmly stepped up and sent Foster the wrong way from the resulting penalty.

As West Brom pushed for an equaliser Wigan retreated deeper and invited pressure, but were ready to hit the Baggies on the break.

West Brom huffed and puffed but could not breach the Wigan defence. The late substitute Paul Scharner had a glorious chance to equalise but his close range header went well over the cross-bar.

There was just time for one final contentious incident in the dying minutes when Graham Dorrans was adjudged to have dived in the box and was yellow carded by referee Mike Dean.

Ultimately the difference between the sides were two pieces of sublime skill by the twenty-year old Moses. He may have had 46 shots this season and only scored one goal, but he is an exciting talent who can go past defenders with ease. He has an array of tricks and skills up his sleeve and if he can start to convert some of the chances he creates he will become a top player.

Wigan moved out of the bottom three on Saturday night but following Sunderland’s win over Blackburn on Sunday they are now in 18th position. This still keeps them within site of mid-table and the likes of Wolves, Sunderland, West Brom, Fulham and QPR.

The Latics can now go into a series of difficult Christmas fixtures in a positive frame of mind and with the belief that they have a realistic chance of avoiding relegation.