The night Wigan Athletic derailed Manchester United's title hopes

Not surprisingly, Shaun Maloney has a clear recollection of his winning goal for Wigan Athletic against Manchester United – which celebrated its eighth birthday this week.

It’s a goal he’s been asked about more than any other from his long and distinguished career. But one he’ll never tire of talking through.

“The game was wedged in the middle of a really good run for us, the tail end of 2011/12, and it’s one we’ll never forget,” Maloney told the Wigan Observer, from his locked-down base in his native Scotland.

“It’s strange because there was a real feeling in the stadium that night, along the players, that we could do something.

“The record we had against Man United over the years wasn’t good, but the way we were playing gave us the belief we could win.

“You look at their side, both individually and collectively, and it was right out of the top drawer. But we managed to narrow that gap.

“I’d say our first-half performance was one of the very best I’ve ever been involved with, through any of my clubs.

“Giving such an elite club a chasing doesn’t happen very often, and it was a continuation of the way we were playing.

"And we needed that to be fair, we needed to go on a run like that to stay in the division.

"But the way we did it, the style of play, made it even more special. We won at Liverpool and Arsenal during that run, and we genuinely felt we could beat anyone at that time.

"A lot of that came from the manager, who gave the players a lot of confidence from the way he was.

“No matter the result on Saturday, Roberto Martinez was always the same with us on Monday, back to work, ready for the next game.”

It’s a night captain Gary Caldwell – a close friend and former Celtic and Scotland team-mate of Maloney – also remembers vividly.

"“I used to love playing night games under the floodlights, when it was light at the start and dark at the end, I don’t know why!” Caldwell reminisced.

“The atmospheres always tended to be better, and that night was electric from the off.

"We dominated the game from the off, we controlled possession, you could tell they were nervy because they were going for the title.

“We actually had a goal disallowed in the first half, the referee ruled I’d fouled David de Gea before Victor Moses headed it in.

"I still don’t think it was a foul, I just leaned in, but goalies have always got that extra level of protection.

“But it showed our dominance of the whole game, and I can’t remember them having many chances, or Ali Al Habsi making many saves.”

With United – eight points clear at the top of the Premier League at the time – struggling to find their rhythm, Latics hit the front five minutes after the restart.

With a goal that will go down as one of the best – and most significant – in the history of the JJB/DW Stadium.

One straight from the training ground. “(Coaches) Graeme Jones, Graham Barrow and Dennis Lawrence would have done the preparation for the set-piece, as they always did,” acknowledged Maloney.

“We sort of had a concept for a short corner, and I’d had one similar around that time for the national team.

“I think it was Wayne Rooney who was their player who jumped out against the short corner.

"And from there you have to make the decision whether you cross or cut in further to shoot.

“It was one of those where as soon as you hit it, you know you’ve hit it cleanly and it’s got a chance.

"Thankfully it went into an area that De Gea couldn’t reach it, and it was such a great feeling.”

Having worked with Maloney for most of their careers, Caldwell had a fair idea what was coming when the plan was hatched.

“The goal was obviously brilliant, Shaun’s always had the ability to cut inside and do that,” Caldwell recognised.

“I was in the box, and there’s a great picture of him striking the ball, and I knew it was going in.

"The elation when the goal went in, everyone just went crazy.

"There was still over half an hour to go after that, but we defended very well and saw the game out relatively comfortably. For a deserved win.”

A win that took on added significance with United being pipped to the title on the final day by neighbours City, and Latics completing another Great Escape at the bottom.

What a night. What a game. What a goal. What a club.