Fernandes netted twice..(Image: 2025 Catherine Ivill - AMA)
"What the f\*\*\*\*\*\* hell was that," Wolves fans chanted after Bruno Fernandes' opening goal for Manchester United on Monday night. That was followed by “you’re not fit to wear the shirt.”
United will not play against such a dysfunctional club again this season. Wolves are on course to be the worst team in Premier League history. They had amassed two points from 14 games before Monday and have a strong chance of taking Derby County's record of just 11 points in 2007/08.
It was a non-negotiable for United to leave Molineux with three points, and it was comfortable in the end, despite the visitors' best efforts to give the worst team in the Premier League a chance of getting a result.
United's draw against West Ham meant they have dropped eight points from winning positions in the league this season, the joint third highest in the top flight. Amorim was furious when he spoke after that match, and he still looked agitated on the touchline against Wolves.
"He'll turn the Reds around," was sung just once at Old Trafford last week. The chant was missing from the catalogue in Wolverhampton and '12 Days of Cantona' was aired instead.
United were one of three clubs in the Premier League to have no goals from substitutes so far this season, which must be put down to Amorim's tendency to make conservative changes.
Kobbie Mainoo was named on the bench again. Mainoo scored a special 97th-minute match-winner against Wolves at Molineux in February 2024, when he was still considered an integral part of the team. On this occasion, there was a huge cheer for the youngster when he was introduced near the end.
Cunha returned to Molineux for the first time since joining United and he mistakenly headed for the home team dressing room when he exited the team coach. Cunha milled about, speaking to Wolves staff and former teammates, and looked comfortable at the venue where his career took off.
Ayden Heaven retained his starting role, despite a hellish 45 minutes against West Ham. The defender was hooked at the interval and was bound to be tested again by a physical Jorgen Strand Larsen.
Amorim secured an important win after the West Ham setback.
There were hundreds of seats vacant in the Sir Jack Hayward Stand and Stan Cullis Stand. Wolves fans protested against their owners by delaying their entry into the ground, but there were still plenty of gold seats when the demonstration was over and the disenchanted trickled in.
Heaven apologised for a mix-up in communication with Senne Lammens. "We want Fosun out, we want Fosun out," the Wolves protestors chanted. The United fans responded with a vitriolic chant about Joel Glazer.
There was mutiny in the air and Wolves fans could not believe what they had seen when Fernandes fired United into the lead. Cunha under-hit his pass to the skipper and the chance seemed to have gone, but the United captain squirmed the ball in at the front post. It was like a sketch from Benny Hill.
Some fans speculated in the build-up to the game that Wolves had the potential to be Amorim's equivalent of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's visit to Vicarage Road in 2021. Solskjaer was finally put out of his misery after losing against Watford, and a defeat to Wolves would have been a similar nadir for Amorim.
The home side had gone five successive league games without a goal, so United couldn't have had a better opportunity to record just their second clean sheet of the campaign. And they should have put the game to bed once they had taken the lead.
This United side never does anything easily, though. The home side were level on the stroke of half-time thanks to a goal from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde. Amad and Bryan Mbeumo enjoyed a brilliant October, but they regressed at the end of November and both were at the scene of the crime.
The in-game management after taking the lead was dismal. United had experienced international players on the pitch and couldn't control the contest. There is little wonder that the conversation about Amorim's system has resurfaced, but United were able to carve through Wolves like a hot knife through butter when play resumed for the second half, in part because Wolves are shockingly bad.
Not even United could mess up a visit to the league's worst team. Mbeumo slotted into an empty net after a square pass from Diogo Dalot, and Mason Mount scored to gain a two-goal cushion.
Wolves' defending for both goals left plenty to be desired. United got the job done, but there should be concerns that Wolves threatened to make it a contest. The target is to return to the Champions League this season, and a Champions League team would have won with a cricket score.
Fernandes converted a penalty to seal a captain's performance. The Portugal international has not been at his best in recent weeks, but it will be a huge boost if he peaks in the middle of the campaign.
Amorim is hoping to emerge from the winter period without being bowled out and greater tests await in the coming weeks. Thankfully for United, they play Wolves again in just 21 days.