Wigan vs Manchester United - Carling Cup Final Betting Analysis

Wigan's fairytale season will hit new heights on Sunday afternoon when they run out in front of a jam-packed Millennium Stadium to face Cardiff regulars Manchester United in the final of the Carling Cup. It's been quite a campaign for Paul Jewell's battlers. Written off as nothing more than relegation fodder back in August, the Latics have comprehensively ripped that script up, producing a number of powerful displays that has not just impressed the pundits but also lifted them to eighth in the Premiership. With the 'magic total' of 40 points already secured and the battle against relegation seemingly won, the blue and white stripes can afford to relax a little now and who knows, if they can recapture the winning form they found in September/October, a place in Europe would perhaps not be out of the question. One thing's for sure, they will be determined to enjoy their 'big day' on Sunday and judging by their spirited display at Champions League chasing Spurs last week, I'm sure a few punters of the under-dog will be tempted by the 5/1 on offer about them in this one. The 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane was fully deserved, and with the excellent Jason Roberts back from suspension and ready to renew his partnership with live wire Henri Camara, Wigan fans can head to Cardiff with some degree of confidence. If the Latics have over-achieved massively this season, then Sunday's opponents are having another campaign to forget by their very high standards. Dumped out of Europe before Christmas, trailing Premiership pace setters Chelsea by a huge 12 points, and out of the FA Cup after last week's defeat to bitter rivals Liverpool, it's been a bleak time for United fans. Indeed, after Alan Smith's horrific broken leg, which has left the Red Devils desperately short in the midfield department, there will be a few who reckon Wigan's 'up and at em' game could cause the Red Devils more than a slight headache. That said, it's not often the Manchester giants end a season empty handed, and although the league cup would not have been high on Sir Alex's list of priorities this year, you can guarantee the wily Scotsman will drum it into his players that anything less than a victory here is unacceptable. Predictably, the men from Old Trafford are hot favourites to lift the cup, and despite their midfield shortages, the 8/13 quotes about them triumphing inside the ninety minutes look about right, although hardly appealing when lining up a wager. A price that does stand out though, is the 12/5 (William Hill) on offer about wing wizard Cristiano Ronaldo grabbing a goal. The Portuguese winger has been back to his best of late - hitting the net four times in his last three games, and with the huge Cardiff surface likely to complement his awesome running game, he could be in for a big afternoon. Expect Wigan to run their socks off for Paul Jewell and the travelling Latics, but that's unlikely to be enough for the underdogs, and with United's vast experience on the big stage, the likes of Rooney, Van Nistelrooy and especially Ronaldo, can fire United to a welcome piece of silverware.