The talk before the game was all about Kaka and the possibility of the former World Player of the Year arriving at Eastlands.
However Manchester City supporters were left applauding another South American following this important victory.
Argentina's Pablo Zabaleta scored the winner, thanks to his first goal for the club after 51 minutes.
But soon after City had finished celebrating the goal they were reduced to 10 men with skipper Richard Dunne sent off for the second time this season.
It almost proved costly and Amr Zaki should have equalised - only to squandered a gilt-edged chance with five minutes to go.
City dominated the first half but could not make it pay with Robinho twice coming close to scoring.
However Wigan almost took the lead in the fifth minute with Titus Bramble heading narrowly over the bar following a corner from Ryan Taylor.
Robinho should have put City ahead seven minutes later. He homed in on goal after Elano split the offside trap with a superb ball over the top.
However with only goalkeeper Chris Kirkland to beat, Robinho scuffed a shot off his shins wide of the post.
Elano again picked out Robinho in the 23rd minute and he chipped the ball over Kirkland - only for Bramble to make a timely clearance.
Then a minute later Daniel Sturridge headed off-target at the back post after a cross from Shaun Wright-Phillips.
City continued to dictate the pace and Robinho slipped the ball to Sturridge in the 30th minute - but his effort went wide of the post.
Wigan again found themselves on the back foot a minute later when Bramble blocked a shot from Wright-Phillips.
They hit back though in the 33rd minute when Wilson Palacios, who could be on the brink of a move to Tottenham, got forward. However, his effort was taken cleanly by goalkeeper Joe Hart.
Palacios then tried to release Emile Heskey, who had made a quiet start. However the England striker got a poor first touch and the move broke down.
The Honduran was beginning to see a lot of the ball and he rattled in a 20-yard shot in the 39th minute that finished narrowly wide of the post.
City took the lead in the 51st minute when Zabaleta, playing in midfield for a change, showed good skill to rattle home a shot from 20 yards. He took full advantage after Paul Scharner had only half-cleared a cross from Sturridge.
A minute later Dunne was sent off by referee Lee Mason. The club captain was dismissed after TV replays showed him kicking out at Zaki following an aerial collision between the pair.
It was Dunne's second red card of the season after he was sent off against Tottenham.
A man up, Wigan stepped up the pace and Scharner saw his goalbound header cleared to safety by Elano in the 64th minute.
Valencia then delivered a cross to the back post and Hart diverted the ball for a corner as Heskey waited to pounce on any mistake.
Wigan continued to sweep forward in search of an equaliser and this was an anxious time for the home side.
Zaki should have pulled them level in the 85th minute but somehow managed to headed over after Lee Cattermole's header came back off the bar.
Wigan then claimed a penalty when Cattermole was up-ended by Zabaleta but the referee would have none of it and City held out for a vital victory.
