It may not have been the Premiership, Champions League or FA Cup but at least this Carling Cup success means United will not have to endure a second successive trophy-less season.
They deserved their success although the Latics were not four goals poorer than their more illustrious opponents.
They recovered from the shock of losing their goalkeeper in the opening stages to push United all the way until Sir Alex Ferguson's side surged clear at the start of the second period.
Ferguson caused a major shock by opting to start with Louis Saha in attack and keeping Ruud van Nistelrooy on the bench while Jason Roberts returned for Wigan after serving his three-match suspension.
Wigan created the first opportunity in the third minute when Gary Teale raced clear down the right and crossed for Henri Camara to head narrowly wide.
When United responded five minutes later, the outstanding Wayne Rooney headed Gary Neville's cross against the bar with Mike Pollitt stranded.
In the 13th minute United had appeals for a penalty waved away after Arjan de Zeeuw seemed to handle the ball as both sides made a rip-roaring start to the game.
Pollitt had been limping since the second minute and was eventually forced out of the action on the quarter-hour mark with a hamstring injury - the unfortunate former Rotherham United stalwart being replaced by John Filan.
As play swung from end to end, a surging run by Rooney ended with Cristiano Ronaldo taking an air-shot when well-placed before Jimmy Bullard's dipping long-range drive was well collected by Edwin van der Sar.
In the 25th minute Ronaldo failed to trouble Filan with an ambitious 35-yard free-kick that drifted harmlessly wide but eight minutes later United did take the lead.
Pascal Chimbonda and de Zeeuw collided on the edge of the area and a grateful Rooney lashed his shot past Filan
Roberts and Henri Camara caused Neville and Rio Ferdinand all sorts of problems with their pace in the first half and the Senegal striker got inside Ferdinand in the 51st minute but van der Sar did well to save his fierce drive.
Wigan had started the second half well but they were rocked by three rapid goals. The first came in the 55th minute when dazzling play by Ryan Giggs helped to set up Neville.
The England international crossed for Saha and, although his first shot was saved by Filan, the ball rebounded off the Frenchman as it ended up in the beck of the net.
Four minutes later it was 3-0 after some poor play by Stephane Henchoz. The Swiss defender cleared the ball straight to Saha who set up Ronaldo to blast his shot past Filan.
Henchoz was soon to be hauled off by Paul Jewell but not before some more dithering defending by Wigan in the 61st minute allowed Ferdinand to head the ball to Rooney who steered his shot home from close range.
That was it, as although Wigan tried hard to grab a consolation goal, United were happy to play out time as they held on to a comfortable but hard-earned victory.