Charlie Hughes effort was 'best yet', insists Wigan Athletic boss

The 20-year-old centre-back wore the captain's armband in the FA Cup third-round tie, with Josh Magennis and Callum Lang named on the bench.

Despite only having made his league debut on Boxing Day last season at Middlesbrough, he didn't look out of place against a team of seasoned international players.

And Maloney admits he's fast running out of plaudits for a young man - who recently won his first England Under-20 call-up - destined to go all the way

"Charlie's had the armband a few times now, when Josh and Callum haven't started," said the Latics boss. "But it was a big one for him, and I thought he was brilliant, I really did.

"Under the real pressure of playing the ball out, having been defending for so long, his temperament was big.

"That's probably the best I've seen him in terms of his temperament.

"He was really stable, which is really difficult when you're having to defend for that long. But he's a special talent, Charlie, he's only 20, and I thought he was big tonight, as was Liam (Morrison) alongside him.

"They were busier than I'd have liked them to be, but they did well."

Hughes showed his composure more than once when, as the last line of defence, he was able to jink his way past the United press rather than adopt a safety first boot downfield.

It’s the way Maloney wants his side to play, as they try to replicate the success of the Premier League years under Roberto Martinez.

"If anything, I wanted our team to do more with the ball, in terms of playing it out, particularly on that right-hand side," added Maloney.

"At times, when we did, we found we could hurt them, and that's one of the messages I gave to the team...we have to back the way we want to play, and back each other.

"I'd much sooner try to win a game with the DNA of this club than rely on longer balls, that's the way I know this team can play."