Wigan Athletic: How they rated v Aston Villa

Wigan Athletic (4-2-3-1)

Christian Walton: 7 - Might have done better with the Villa opener, although made several good saves to more than make amends for that blip.

Reece James: 6 - Had his work cut out against Villa’s dangerous left edge but stuck to his task and temperament against hostile crowd was impressive.

Chey Dunkley: 6 - Desperately unlucky to be credited with the own goal that brought Villa level, tested more in this 90 minutes than the majority of last season.

Cedric Kipre: 6 - Still finding his feet at this level, but got Latics out of jail once with an inch-perfect sliding challenge and used his size well.

Antonee Robinson: 6 - Wasn’t able to get forward as often as last week, found himself almost exclusively involved at the defensive end of the field.

Sam Morsy: 8 - Didn’t give an inch in the engine room, put a reducer on Jack Grealish to show he couldn’t just waltz around the field, led Latics from the front.

Callum Connolly: 8 - Impressive second ‘debut’ for Latics, showed his versatility with a fine stint in the centre of midfield before pushing on and scoring the second goal following the reshuffle.

Callum McManaman: 6 - Handed a starting berth in the absence of Massey, but typical busy display without anything coming off for him before his withdrawal at the beginning of the second period.

Nick Powell: 8 - Linked with Villa all summer and showed Steve Bruce exactly what he’s missing. On the spot to score the first goal by anticipating the error, before laying on the second for Connolly with magnificent precision. The very definition of ‘footballing arrogance’.

Michael Jacobs: 7 - Might have scored in the second half, sent a few balls over from the left that colleagues may have done better with.

Will Grigg: 7 - Once again ploughed the lone furrow without reward, but value to the team not in the slightest doubt.

Subs used

Lee Evans (for McManaman, 54): 7 - Brought on to stiffen up the midfield and showed his quality from out wide and set-pieces.

Josh Windass (for Powell, 68): 7 - Busy debut and came within inches of scoring what would have been as crucial goal only to direct his header inches over.

James Vaughan (for Grigg, 81): - Arrived too late to make an impact.

Subs not used:

Jamie Jones, Alex Bruce, Gary Roberts, Jamie Walker

Star Man: Nick Powell

Aston Villa: Nyland; Tuanzebe, Chester, Jedinak, Hutton; El Mohamady, McGinn, Bjarnason, Green, Grealish; Kodjia.

Subs: Campos, Taylor, Whelan, Elphick, Adomah (for Tuanzebe, 65), Hepburn-Murphy (for Green, 74), Hourihane (for Kodjia, 87).

Shots on target: 6-3

Shots off target: 11-7

Corners: 3-4

Fouls: 17-16

Possession: 50-50

Attendance: 34,331

Referee: Jeremy Simpson