SOCCER: A one-time Trotskyist who grew up steeped in the trade union politics of working-class Liverpool, Paul Jewell arrived in Cardiff yesterday intent on inflicting his most significant blow yet on football's old order by guiding his much-loved but little-fancied Wigan team to English League Cup victory over the might of Manchester United. Emmet Malone reports from Cardiff

The omens weren't great for the former Bradford boss, whose previous three encounters with Alex Ferguson had all ended with his side losing by four goals to nil. Sure enough, the pain was clear to see yesterday in Cardiff after it happened once again, with the former journeyman striker's latest attempt at sporting insurrection crushed by the established power of a United team who pursued a win with more zeal and much more know-how than their opponents.

A year ago, Chelsea and Liverpool went on to much greater things after contesting this final, but with his side's pursuit of the season's more significant prizes already over, or as good as, Ferguson needed a victory here to maintain his remarkable average of a trophy a year at Old Trafford, and perhaps silence those who have suggested his grip on power there is loosening.

The club's last success of note was in the FA Cup final of 2004, when Millwall were their victims, and United's win here was every bit as assured, something that clearly brought out the more agreeable side of the manager as he arrived to deal with the press.

For fans more accustomed to success in the Premiership, not to mention the odd night of glory in Europe, this was hardly target number one, but, remarked Ferguson, "a cup is a cup".

"We're delighted with the result and with the way the game went," he said, before defending his decision to play Louis Saha ahead of Ruud van Nistelrooy on the basis of the former's six goals in five games prior to yesterday in this year's competition.

"The scoreline was a bit too one-sided to make it a great cup final, but the attitude was marvellous, that's what made it good.

"They (Wigan) never stopped playing and that's all to do with Paul Jewell's attitude to management. They can score goals, they've proven that. And we're very happy that it was us rather than them that managed to score the goals today."

United skipper Gary Neville suggested that, just as his manager hopes, the win might be "the start of something big", but he conceded that what the team have produced recently has fallen short of the required standard too often, and that "the criticism we have taken over the last 18 months has been largely justified."

Here, though, was a glimpse of United back to something approaching their best. In the second half the team played with confidence, fluency and precision in every area of the pitch, while in the first Wayne Rooney had simply been good enough to make the shortcomings of those around seem somehow unimportant.

Jewell, who spends so much of his time railing against what he sees as the somewhat patronising attitude his team encounters, was obliged to admit on this occasion that it was a case of "David versus Goliath".

"We gave bad goals away and United were absolutely clinical," he said ruefully. "We were playing a world-class side with world-class players and we were beaten by a better side today. It's tough to take, but we've lost to one of the most decorated sides in the world and there's no shame in that."

His skipper, Arjen De Zeeuw, agreed, insisting that Wigan had "gone out there to make a real go of it but we made critical errors at the back which we were punished for".

The game's two Irish participants, meanwhile, were very much in line with those of their respective teams. John O'Shea, playing for the first time since recovering from broken ribs, performed solidly in the centre of United's midfield, where he was paired with Ryan Giggs.

The 24-year-old came through the 90 minutes without any apparent problems and looks certain to be available to Steve Staunton for Wednesday's international friendly against Sweden.

Graham Kavanagh, on the other hand, endured a terribly disappointing time in what was the biggest game of his club career. The Dubliner coped well in the first half, which ended with United in front thanks to a Rooney goal but Wigan still looking very much like they had everything to play for.

Unfortunately for the Ireland international, however, he was, like several of those around him, simply overwhelmed early in the second half as Ferguson's men dramatically upped the pace for a six-minute spell during which Louis Saha, Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney all scored.

Both Irishmen are due in Dublin this morning ahead of the international squad's first training session this afternoon. The bulk of the squad gathered last night for the FAI's annual awards, where Shay Given took the main prize. It appeared everyone selected by Staunton would check in, though doubts remain about how much action one or two of them, such as Sunderland's Stephen Elliott, will see this week.