4 hours ago
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Manchester United missed eight frontline players so Wolves, who arrived as the bottom team with only two points, seemed ideal opponents. Yet Ruben Amorim’s side struggled – badly – and while Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire headed those unavailable, the display provokes questions regarding United’s cohesion.
In the contest’s closing phase they were potent only sporadically – as throughout. Their opening-half goal was a fortunate one for Joshua Zirkzee, rebounding in off Ladislav Krejci, and after the Czech’s equaliser just before the interval, Wolves might have recorded a first – and famous – victory of the season.
After Jhon Arias went close with a late shot saved by Senne Lammens, Rob Edwards’ visitors threatened again, and while Patrick Dorgu thought he snatched an 89th-minute winner he was ruled correctly offside.
A draw was far more respectable for Wolves because despite United’s missing personnel any team with hopes of Champions League qualification has to collect all points against opponents surely heading for relegation. The boos at the end echoed those at half-time and informed Amorim precisely how the home fans viewed the evening.
He said: “Strange game. We struggled – a lack of creation. We had our chances but the fluidity offensively wasn’t there. When you play Casemiro and [Manuel] Ugarte in the middle you know it is different from when you have Bruno or Kobbie [Mainoo]. We have lack of fluidity and then lack of quality and then we suffer a goal from a set piece. We didn’t use that excuse [players missing] against Newcastle [a 1-0 win] so we won’t use it today.”
Amorim did strike a positive note. “I’m really confident we will be a strong team – we need to recover all the players,” the Portuguese said.
The latest to be ruled out was Mason Mount, by injury, so Zirkzee replaced him in the right-hand No 10 role. Wolves had the better of the opening period, rolling passes about, pleasing Edwards and infuriating Amorim. So when United claimed possession, Luke Shaw was found and Benjamin Sesko released down the left, a sharp turn and right-foot shot that went close cheered the head coach.
The emotion was brief as Wolves again took over. Yerson Mosquera broke easily down the right and teed up Tolu Arokodare. The forward missed his kick, the ball bounced to Hwang Hee-chan, and the Korean blazed high.
United required someone to wrest the initiative – precisely what Ayden Heaven did. The centre-back robbed Hwang near Wolves’ left touchline and drove infield. The ball went to Zirkzee and his shot beat José Sá via Krejci.
Hardly fantasy stuff and soon United’s brittleness returned. First Heaven lost Arokodare in the area and the Nigerian missed a header. Moments later Lammens saved at point-blank range from Hugo Bueno.
Finally, Wolves’ efforts yielded what they deserved. At a Bueno corner from the right the ball flicked off the hapless Zirkzee to the far post and the unmarked Krejci headed home.
For the second half Amorim brought on Jack Fletcher, 18, for Zirkzee, precisely a year on from when the Portuguese removed the Dutchman after 33 minutes as United trailed 2-0 here to Newcastle – the game ending in that score. Amorim explained: “We were struggling with their midfielders, and we played with three strikers and sometimes that’s not the best thing to attack well.”
His unit had to up the tempo, as when Dorgu thumped the ball right and in it came quickly for an opening Matheus Cunha missed the target with. But could they keep this up?
A Casemiro chip to Sesko prised Wolves open and though he was offside this was more encouragement. As was a Diogo Dalot effort – his radar was awry – and a panicky Mosquera header meant as a back-pass for Sá that had the goalkeeper scrambling to clear off the line. Afterwards Edwards said he told Mosquera: “‘You’re mad you are.’ But he has a heart of gold.”
As the hour passed Wolves headed for only a third point of a troubled campaign – and possibly more – and United now mixed attack with clumsiness as when Shaw felled Mateus Mané.
Hwang dipped the free-kick in and though the ball went back out of United’s area, in it came again: Krejci shot, Lammens saved low to his left and Mosquera, following up, could not squeeze the ball in.
Edwards said: “The lads are with us but there’s nothing like results to get everyone on board.”
Jørgen Strand Larsen, who came on in the 65th-minute, is a target for West Ham. Edwards was asked about the striker’s future. “Only time will tell,” he said.
