Yahoo Sport 
Wigan 0 Southampton 2: Mark Hughes books first appearance at Wembley as a club manager
One journey ended as another began in treacherous conditions at the DW Stadium, Wigan Athletic’s hopes of another FA Cup fairy tale banished as Southampton enjoyed the immediate bounce a change of manager can so often bring.
Mark Hughes can look forward to leading out a team at Wembley for the first time in his 14 years as a club manager after Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Cedric Soares’s second-half goals, their first for the club, secured a hard-fought win in the Welshman’s first game in charge.
Rather than serve as a distraction in their more pressing battle against Premier League relegation, a semi-final place might just provide Southampton’s players with the confidence lift they needed. As for Hughes, having been knocked out of the Cup with Stoke by League Two Coventry in January, he suddenly has a second bite at the cherry.
“Wembley will be a nice occasion,” said Hughes, who has a contract until the end of the season. “I’ve been to a few semi-finals as a manager but never quite made it to Wembley. We will enjoy it and take some positives out of it and hopefully it will help us in our league form as well.”
Wigan were the better team in the first half, and two bad misses from Southampton striker Manolo Gabbiadini, one from the penalty spot, either side of Hojbjerg’s goal, will have underlined to Hughes the problems this team have had in front of goal in their quest to beat the drop.
But there were positives to take, and however frustrated Wigan may feel about their failure to make more of their opportunities, there was certainly a lot more fight from Southampton here, particularly after the interval, than was evident in the final months of Mauricio Pellegrino’s reign.
It was galling for Paul Cook, the Wigan manager, to see his side fall behind to a goal from a corner after the League Two club had been unable to take advantage of so many similar set-pieces scenarios before then. Dusan Tadic whipped in his corner and Hojbjerg reacted quickest, sweeping the ball lower into the near post corner past a flurry of bodies. “A massive disappointment,” Cook said.
Cook had briefly wondered before and after then if the gods were going to shine on his side, who famously won the competition under Roberto Martinez in 2013. A careless back pass from Nathan Byrne had presented Gabbiadini with a golden opportunity to score eight yards out in the 58th minute but the Italy forward shot straight at Christian Walton, and while there was no doubt it was a good save, the miss was symptomatic of a striker in the midst of a confidence crisis.
That view was reinforced in the 72nd minute when Gabbiadini won a penalty, after latching on to substitute Nathan Redmond’s fine through ball, and was hacked down by Dan Burn but then saw his spot-kick pushed aside by Walton. No wonder he has just one goal in 20 matches.
“When the keeper makes that save I just felt there might be something there for us today but it wasn’t the case,” Cook said. “I’ll be honest, I was fearful at half time having played so well but not been able to get ourselves in front. Did they deserve the victory? It was a bit harsh on us but we wish them well in the semi-final.”
Having already overcome three Premier League sides in the competition, Bournemouth, West Ham United and, most memorably, Manchester City in the previous round, as they targeted a third Cup semi-final in six seasons, the one thing Wigan were not going to be was overawed.
They dominated the opening half, carving well worked chances for Gary Roberts, Michael Jacobs and Will Grigg that they could not make more from, and also sought to hurt Southampton from corners by exploiting the height of Burn, their 6ft 7in centre-half, and the strong, swirling winds.
Wigan had 14 corners all told, nine of which arrived in the first 45 minutes, but Southampton just about held firm, with centre-backs Wesley Hoedt and Jack Stephens impressing, and the team benefiting from Hughes’s switch to a zonal marking system. Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy also did well to tip over one corner from Max Power when the wind almost sucked the ball under the bar.
The second half was a very different contest, with a more assured Southampton carrying far more threat going forward. The second goal they craved arrived in stoppage time when, from a breakaway from a Wigan corner, Redmond’s ball deflected into the path of Soares, who sped away from his marker before coolly steering the ball into the far corner.
“Our Premier League status is a huge concern to us and that is a big part of the remit I have and this was a game we could take the maximum we needed in terms of positivity,” Hughes said. “We showed a lot of the qualities and traits a good team needs to show on a regular basis from a group of players who have maybe been hurt by the criticism of them.”
Hard luck Wigan
This has been an absolutely magic run for Wigan and if they play anything like that in League One going forward they should be well on their way to promotion. Walton, Byrne, Power, Morsy, Grigg and Powell were all particularly impressive with a MOTM award deservedly going to the goalkeeper. I'd say Morsy and Byrne weren't far off it.
FULL TIME
And that's it! Wigan were superb there but Southampton just had that little extra quality. That's what the big bucks gets you!
GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!
That's so well taken by Cedric. He heads the ball early to take advantage of indecision by the defender, controls with his next touch and opens up his foot to slot past the goalkeeper. Southampton are going to Wembley!
90 mins +1
Wigan attack, the ball is floated into the area and Noel beats Bertrand to it! His effort has no power and hangs in the air before it's headed behind! Southampton break from the corner, Cedric gets ahead of his man!
90 mins
Long has been a pest since coming on. Southampton are trying to keep the ball high up the pitch and see the game out.
88 mins
Romeu is on for Gabbiadini, who's looked a bit off his game today. That'll be a change to a 4-2-3-1 for the final few minutes.
87 mins
86 mins
Long completely skins Dunkley with a clever turn on the touchline and the defender is shown a yellow card for pulling down to the ground.
Southampton play a long pass forward and Gabbiadini is just offside. It's a good job since Shane Long took the ball off him and missed a one on one with the goalkeeper.
84 mins
Wigan passing the ball around the Southampton half, but Hughes' side are working hard to deny space. Wigan win yet another corner and they're putting bodies in the box now.
82 mins
Bertrand kicks Byrne's foot and leaves him in a rather painful looking heap on the floor. Byrne is replaced anyway by Noel Hunt - that guy! Remember him?! He plays for Wigan apparently.
Hunt's first touch is an attempted flick to Grigg to then go for the one-two. He misses the ball.
Hughes replaces Carrillo with Shane Long. That's a bit of pace up top for Southampton.
79 mins
Sharp inhales of breath from Southampton fans! The corner is high, headed back into the mix and Powell and Grigg just cannot turn the ball towards goal from inside the six yard box. Powell has been excellent since coming on.
Wigan keep the pressure up, the ball is moved out to Power on the right and he hits a brilliant low cross to the near post! McCarthy gets down to grab it.
77 mins
Southampton corner, cleared. Another corner, headed behind. Goal kick. Southampton players get back in position.
Wigan get forward and spread the play wide but the cross hits the defender and goes behind. Another Wigan corner.
75 mins
Southampton are doing well here and enjoying the space that Wigan are leaving by their desire to get forward. Now the game is open, Southampton are in charge.
GABBIADINI MISSES!
More like Walton saves! What a save that was! The penalty was struck with power and put way over to the post but the goalkeeper flies across and turns it behind! Brilliant from Walton!
73 mins
Redmond passes straight to Wigan forwards, recovers and brings the ball forward. Carrillo has made a great run high up the pitch and Redmond finds him. He's in here! Beaten the offside trap! And Burn brings him down! PENALTY TO SOUTHAMPTON!
71 mins
Bertrand has a bit of a wild kick on a Wigan player, sending him flying with knee high swipe. The referee keeps his cards hidden. Lemina is a different player in this half, totally running the show for Southampton.
54 - Pierre-Emile Højbjerg has scored his first goal for Southampton, on what is his 54th appearance for the club in all competitions. Unlocked. pic.twitter.com/AiaYEH4X92
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 18, 2018
68 mins
Another strong challenge from Byrne as he goes through Redmond. Again, he gets the ball so it's fine but that's not the kind of tackle you want to see if you're a creative player.
66 mins
Wigan make changes immediately. Nick Powell, who has been suffering from a hamstring injury recently, is about to come on. Colclough on too. Massey and Roberts off.
Nathan Redmond comes on for Boufal, which should probably be a straight swap. I think that's about defensive work rather than a change of shape.
GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!
It's Hojbjerg again! He powers the header past the goalkeeper at the second time of asking.
62 mins
Hojbjerg and Lemina aren't sure of their roles either. They need the other to be near to keep passing moves through the centre of the pitch, but Lemina is being left on his own in a sort of 4-1-3-2 shape. Perhaps that's the idea but Wigan's pressing is making that really dangerous.
Southampton win a corner. It's to the back post and HOJBJERG HEADS IT!!! Great save from Walton! Another corner.
60 mins
Wigan are pressing high and catching out the Southampton midfield. They really haven't even turned up today, like they assumed because they're better at football - and they are - they'd be able to win this easily. Against a team like this you really need more than a good touch.
58 mins
GABBIADINI IS ONE ON ONE WITH THE GOALKEEPER! Disaster for Wigan! It's a pass back straight to the striker! He has the goalie to beat but he's missed! Dreadful miss from Gabbiadini! Wigan survive!!!
57 mins
Massey shoots wide from distance. Wigan getting closer.
Southampton are working much harder in midfield now but the strikers still seem a little confused as to when and where they're meant to move. That'll take time in a two striker system. Boufal wins a free-kick on the edge of the area.
Boufal shoots... that's ambitious. From a crossing angle he has a go at goal but it lands on the roof of the net. That was never going in.
54 mins
Wigan have a corner, it's swung in and headed out. Wigan keep the ball near the area and Jacobs has a couple of yards of space to shoot towards the top corner. He gets a little too much underneath it and the ball flies over.
52 mins
This is much better from Southampton now. They're finally using the ball like you'd expect a Premier League level side to and are pulling Wigan everywhere with clever movement. Hojbjerg concedes a foul though and Wigan can relax.
50 mins
Wigan in control of possession again. Their passing is sharper, quicker and forward, Southampton still not doing quite enough to disrupt it when Wigan get forward.
Southampton work a nice passing move now though and the full-backs overlap. Tadic and Boufal come inside the pitch. Throw-in by the penalty area.
48 mins
No changes at half time by either side. Southampton steal the ball quickly as Byrne passes straight a defender. Boufal tries a couple of little tricks but is clattered by Massey and leaves him flat on the ground.
KICK OFF 2
We're back!
Analysis
Southampton looked OK for the start of that game. The system is obvious, 4-4-2, mid-block counter-attack, but the midfield hasn't turned up. The wide players aren't doing defensive work and are being caught too far forward, the midfielders aren't winning their battles either. Hojbjerg has been excellent on the ball, Lemina has been allowed to burst forward but Wigan's attacking play has been excellent. Paul Cook has absolutely nailed this so far.
HALF TIME
45 mins
Wigan come forward again down the left. Jacobs crosses from wide... and it's a good one! Grigg can't quite reach it! Southampton aren't at it here at all. They really need to some some attitude.
43 mins
Wigan corner. Oooooh! The wind nearly takes that into the goal! McCarthy has to punch away for another corner. That goes short, is hit into the box and a header lets the ball drop inside six yards of goal. GRIGG IS THERE! But he can't get a touch on it.
42 mins
"He's like Beckenbauer!" says Keown about Morsy. He's been good... but... you know. Wigan are dominating this game at the moment now though, Cedric is screaming at his teammates. Boufal and Tadic are offering absolutely no defensive protection down the flanks, Lemina and Hojbjerg aren't quite aggressive enough either.
40 mins
I think that's Hughes having some words with Elder after one of those no-nonsense Wigan sliding tackles.
39 mins
Another big chance for Wigan! Jacobs goes on a run, gets to the area and ignores Massey to his right as the defence opens up... and Grigg can't get on the end of the deflected effort. That's such a waste! He must have imagined the net bulging there and got carried away.
36 mins
Jeeeez. Some of the challenges Wigan players are putting it are heeeeeaaaaavy. No nonsense! Take that! But they're winning the ball cleanly and therefore, they're good tackles technically. It's going to take just one mistimed lunge later with a tired mind for someone to get hurt though.
Wigan are decent with the ball actually. They work a move around the Southampton half and there's an overlap. The ball is crossed into the area, laid off to Grigg! But he can't get a shot away... and Southampton break. Gabbiadini puts a weak effort behind for a goal kick.
33 mins
Southampton work the ball forward, it's played out to the left and then Boufal plays a brilliant pass in behind the defence to Gabbiadini! He can't reach it, Tadic follows up at the back post and hits the side netting. But Gabbiadini was offside anyway so none of this matters.
30 mins
A high ball towards the six yard box... and there's a push. And the ball had gone out of play anyway from the actual kick anyway.
29 mins
Wigan keep the pressure up on Southampton, they're playing really well here and working so hard. OOOHHHH Hojbjerg does a beautiful wee roulette turn by the halfway line and beats two men, scooping the ball past both.
Southampton can't get the ball off them at the moment! Another Wigan corner. What will the routine be this time?
26 mins
Wigan give the corner away to Southampton! It's a dreadful pass, they can counter from here. Wigan sprint to get back... but Gabbiadini passes straight to Burn. Wigan's corner routines nearly landed them in trouble there.
24 mins
Great recovery from Stephens but Southampton were taken apart way too easily there. Wigan run straight through the middle of them after some poor passing play by the Saints defenders.
22 mins
CLICHE ALERT! "Well it's hard to work out who's the Premier League team," says Martin Keown.
21 mins
This is a decent game! End to end, both teams attacking quickly. Southampton get forward but can't keep the ball down in the area, Wigan go up the other end and Roberts takes the ball with his first touch after a poor header in the box... and pokes at the ball, sending it over the bar. Anything low would have ended up in the net, if not forcing the goalie into a reaction save.
19 mins
Southampton get forward now and win a throw level with the penalty area. Cedric crosses in, it's behind the striker who flicks it on and Boufal tries an ambitious volley. The ball flies high into the sky.
Tadic gets in on the right, shows great feet to keep control next to two defenders and then Lemina drags the ball past a defender with a lovely touch... sets himself for the shot... way over.
17 mins
Another corner as Massey tries a hopeful shot from distance which comes off a defender. Again, Wigan have four players in the box and more behind it. They go short, to the edge of the area and Byrne has a mile of space! He shoots... it deflects... it's GOING IN! Ohhhh so close! The ball rolls wide of the post.
This time Wigan put five men in the box and swing it in towards the penalty spot. Another corner. It's an out-swinger aimed to the big man... and the header lands with the goalkeeper.
15 mins
Wigan attack at speed and pull Southampton apart by going through the middle. Grigg turns Jack Stephens but his shot is deflected and behind for a corner. Wigan don't send too many men forward for the set piece and McCarthy tries to power punch the ball away, nearly destroying those attempted to head it. Interesting that Wigan aren't over committing to corners - it's so unlikely that you score from them anyway but Cook must be wary of the Southampton counter attack.
13 mins
McCarthy is alert and quick off his line to smother a ball sent into his area.
12 mins
Southampton still looking to steal the ball near halfway and counter. It's very Man Utd circa late 90s.
10 mins
Southampton are looking to go forwards whenever they get the ball, playing through the lines but retaining possession in the Wigan half.
Wigan are building from the back and making the pitch big, playing a really wide shape. Cedric is lucky to get away with a bit of an obstruction on Jacobs just as the Wigan man was about to take a shot from outside the area.
7 mins
Massey fires a shot over from 20 yards, Southampton look for the strikers with a long ball over the top of the Wigan defence. The goalkeeper has to be awake to it but both forwards are offside.
5 mins
There are some... let's call them 'aggressive' challenges from Wigan players as they go in hard to Southampton full-backs but the referee says it's fine. They win the ball with a couple of powerful kicks which need to be entirely controlled or somebody's legs will come off, Sunday League style. Getting Stuck In. Letting Them Know They're There.
3 mins
Wigan have started well, Southampton do look to be a in a 4-4-2 defensive shape and 4-2-4 in attack, pressing at the halfway line. Wigan are being given space to bring it out from the back but then launch longer passes forward. That will suit Hughes' counter-attack set up.
KICK OFF
Here come the players
"COME ON BOYS!" yell some Wigan players. It's time!
Mark Hughes first Southampton pre-match chat
"We're looking forward to it, I've only been in a few days but I'm really impressed with the quality and application I get to work with. We've got to be ready, but I sensed the group is ready to go. It's a quarter final, a great competition, we'd love to progress.
"I've picked a team I think will win the game. A lot of players not involved today clearly will be in games we have ahead of us because the fixtures are difficult and it's the business end of the season."
This guy
Mark Hughes is on the scene
It looks like Hughes may have named a team that starts as a 4-4-2 / 4-2-4, almost as though he wants to attack in the same way his old Man Utd sides used to. With Boufal and Tadic on either wing and Carrillo and Gabbiadini patrolling the penalty area, that is an exciting lineup. Will it work?
Southampton in away shirts?
I'm trying to work out what kits Southampton will wear. They've got a lot of white on that current shirt and Wigan have a wee bit too. But then the green/blue and black shirt above might melt in with the blue. Hmmm.
Starting lineups
�� TEAM NEWS: One change for Latics from Wednesday night's win in @SkyBetLeagueOne, as Gary Roberts comes in to start against @SouthamptonFC on his birthday, in place of @NPowell25 who makes the bench.
�� https://t.co/5ZBfsixmEm#wafc ��⚪️ pic.twitter.com/xzSUXV4fk8— Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) March 18, 2018
Walton, Byrne, Dunkley, Burn, Elder, Morsy, Massey, Jacobs, Roberts, Jacobs, Grigg
Mark Hughes' first Southampton team
#SaintsFC team to face #WAFC: McCarthy, Cédric, Stephens, Hoedt, Bertrand, Højbjerg, Lemina, Tadić, Boufal, Carrillo, Gabbiadini. pic.twitter.com/pnmzNxPLBW
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) March 18, 2018
Hello!
Good day to you ladies and gents, welcome to our lovely liveblog where we'll be taking in all the action from Wigan!
But the big story: Southampton have another new manager. It really happened. MARK HUGHES! What's his play style? What will be bring to the table? A team reflects its manager and Hughes is a quiet, angry, polite bad loser. They'll win some, they'll lose some, and in a couple of years it'll be... I dunno... Sam Allardyce's turn to take charge at Southampton. Are you excited Saints fans? CAN YOU FEEL THE PASSION IN THE AIR?
Meanwhile, Wigan are third in League One and dreaming of another Wembley adventure. Will they avoid the curse of the new manager bounce? Can they pull off an unlikely upset against the Premier League mid-tablers?
We'll find out soon! The team news should be with us at any minute.
