20 April 2025
Man Utd 0 Wolves 1
After their dramatic win in the Europa League in midweek, things were looking a little more positive at Old Trafford as they welcomed Wolves. The Red Devils have nothing to play for in the league other than improving their standing after one of their worst campaigns the club had seen. The visitors were looking to ensure their safety and Premier League status.
Ruben Amorim’s side completed a superb comeback against Lyon days earlier, scoring three goals in six minutes to book their place in the semi-finals. Ex-players, pundits and fans described this as one of the most exciting finishes they had ever seen at Old Trafford. If this is true, how the mighty have fallen, rejoicing in progressing in Europe’s second rate competition.
Wolves started the better of the two teams. They were playing neat one-touch passes, leaving the hosts chasing shadows. Cunha won a free-kick on the edge of the box when Mazraoui scythed him down. The Brazilian stepped up to take it from a wide position and looked to catch the keeper out with a shot but it was headed clear at the near post.
Vitor Pereira’s side continued to press and worked it to Semedo outside the box. The full-back looked to get a shot off at goal but his effort went sailing over the crossbar. The hosts were looking scrappy and all over the shop as they struggled to deal with the attacking threat of the visitors. It was the same old story and very much like their game against Lyon in midweek.
It is all too easy to open this Man Utd side up. While fans criticise the players, the tactics or the manager these problems have existed for many years now. It may even become one of the most difficult teasers in modern society, how do you fix this football team? One thing is for sure, there is no quick solution and will take some time to correct.
The hosts tried to create something to get the fans behind them once again. Amass picked the ball up out wide and swung a teasing ball into the middle. There was no one attacking it in the danger area but Ait-Nouri still had to deal with it as he hacked it away. From the resulting corner, Eriksen curled a cross towards goal but Bentley did well to punch clear under pressure.
Mazraoui then picked the ball up in the middle and a neat double-dragback took the ball past Agbadou. As the defender ran into the Wolves man, the referee awarded the hosts a free-kick. Eriksen stepped up to take it and Bentley was forced to turn the shot over the bar. In all fairness, it was a simple save as it was hit straight at him.
Man Utd were huffing and puffing but looked incapable of blowing Wolves’ house down. Garnacho played a pass into Mainoo, who had one thing on his mind. The youngster cut onto his right-foot and tried to bend a shot into the far corner. Sadly for the hosts, he got his angles wrong as it went wide of the corner with Bentley having it covered.
As a Wolves attack broke down, a long ball forward found Hojlund wide on the halfway line. He turned away from his marker and ran clear, with everyone up out of their seats. He charged towards goal but rather selfishly decided he wanted to get a shot away. The striker took too many touches and forced himself wide as a sliding tackle dispossessed him of the ball.
Wolves forced a corner themselves and Cunha put another great delivery into the box. Strand Larsen rose to meet it but seemed to completely miss the ball. It took a touch off a defender’s head and narrowly missed the far corner. Pereira’s side were looking dangerous whenever they came forward but were lacking that clinical edge when chances presented themselves.
The hosts looked to try and unlock Wolves as a pass was played into Eriksen in the box. His sublime flick put Garnacho away and played a ball across goal that was dying to be converted. Hojlund reacted late to attack it and ended up fouling the defender as he threw himself at it to try and get some form of touch on the ball.
Amorim’s side could not cope with the high press from the visitors all game. One such instance saw a loose pass gift the possession to Wolves. It was quickly worked into Cunha, who ran towards goal before being bundled over by a clumsy challenge from Eriksen on the edge of the box. Sarabia stepped up to take it and bent his effort into the top corner to give his side the lead.
Man Utd tried to find a way back into the game and Garnacho cut the ball back from the byline to pick out Mount in the middle. He skied his first-time shot over the bar, not even troubling Bentley in the Wolves’ goal. Moments later Eriksen played a superb pass into the box on the outside of his left-foot. Mount attacked it but his volley was closer to troubling the linesman than the target.
The former Chelsea midfielder won a free-kick in a dangerous position, with Old Trafford holding its breath, Fernandes stepped up to take it. The Portuguese danger-man looked to grab an equaliser but his effort sailed over the crossbar. Despite their possession, the Red Devils really struggled to create clear-cut chances throughout the entire game.
Vitor Pereira’s side held on for the three points and with it, grabbed a league double over Man Utd for the first-time in forty-five years. More unwanted records being broken by Ruben Amorim. It was no more than Wolves deserved, they had been the better side in this game. The highs of midweek were immediately dampened by another defeat just days later at the Theatre of Bad Dreams.
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