Lampard was seen receiving treatment for a muscle injury before City took on Hamburg in an Abu Dhabi friendly but the 36-year-old asked his manager to let him play.

Colombian striker Falcao missed a hatful of gilt-edged opportunities on Saturday afternoon as United stayed in the top four, a point above Arsenal who turned over champions Manchester City.

The Football League have launched the search to find the best strike of the last 12 months with an eventual shortlist of ten efforts set to be shown on Sky Sports’ Soccer AM in March.

After a goalless first half Carl Winchester scored his first of the season with a curling 20-yard shot before Liam Kelly’s precise free-kick secured the points for the Latics.

Dale triumphed 4-1 thanks to Ian Henderson’s double and strikes from Scott Tanser and Calvin Andrew as teen star Callum Camps pulled the strings in midfield, helping to move the club up to fifth in League One.

Wigan are still searching for their first three points in 2015 and have only won once in their last twelve games as they prepare to welcome Blackburn Rovers.

Despite differing opinions among fans at the time of his appointment, the former Celtic man’s time at the helm has been largely promising.

Despite controlling much of the proceedings at Old Trafford, United failed to register a single shot on target, with Dusan Tadic’s well-taken effort enough to secure victory for Ronald Koeman’s high-flying Saints.

With Chelsea overcoming a stubborn Newcastle side at Stamford Bridge, the result leaves City two points behind ahead of the top two sides’ meeting in three weeks’ time.

A gruelling three games in six days over Christmas/New Year, highlighting strengths and exposing weaknesses in any squad, showed up United despite Louis van Gaal’s big ambitions at the club.

Calvin Andrew’s injury-time header ensured Dale ran out 2-1 winners in a contest badly affected by a sub-standard playing surface.