Wolves despatch United - again

Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 v Manchester United 1

When some three weeks ago Wolves entertained Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter final the visitors were thoroughly outplayed on what proved to be a memorable night at Molineux. Since when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been separated from the Interim tag, his full time appointment surprising few. The jury remains out on whether he proves to be the right man for the job or as I have surmised Roberto di Mateo Part II. But if tonight’s display offers any pointers it is that he has much to do. I accept that going down to ten men in the second half didn’t help, but with the sides level I felt his substitution of Fred, who had been dictating affairs, to be a grave error. Thereafter United looked disjointed and it was not long after his removal that Wolves went ahead, Leander Dendoncker finishing off a weak shot from Raul Jiminez.

Whilst the score mirrored that of the FA Cup tie the goals arrived in the opposite order, United taking the lead after just 13 minutes when Scott McTominey rounded off a good move with a fine strike from twenty yards. Five minutes later the visitors should have extended their lead but Jesse Lingard’s half hearted header barely troubled Rui Patricio. Wolves were struggling for fluidity and it took them 25 minutes before they threatened the United goal Raul Jiminez firing over from an acute angle. Within a minute however they were at it again, but this time Diogo Jota made no mistake latching on to a fine through ball to strike past De Gea.

Thereafter honours were even, a trend that continued into the second half until in minute 57 Ashley Young was dismissed for a second bookable offence. In the immediate aftermath United, prompted by Fred, rallied. But with his removal, so did the tide turn in the home side’s favour and by the end Wolves should have made it three, Ivan Cavaleiro squandering the best of a number of good openings.

But such had been the home side’s dominance that it mattered not. And with the team finishing intact the match and result provided the perfect preparation for Wembley on Sunday.

Wolves: Patricio 6, Bennett 7, Coady 7, Boly 7, Doherty 6, Vinagre 7 Sub Castro Otto, Dendoncker 7, Neves 7 Sub Saiss, Moutinho 8, Jota 8 Sub Cavaleiro, Jimenez 8

Manchester United: De Gea 6, Young 6 (Sent Off) Dalot 6 Sub Pereira, Lindelof 6, Smalling 6, Shaw 6, Pogba 6, Fred 7 Sub Jones, Lingard 5, McTominay 6, Lukaku 6 Sub Martial

Attendance: 31,302

Referee: Mike Dean 8

©Mark Brennand