Shots galore against one of the worst Premier League sides ever may only confuse matters more at Manchester United
Wolves 1-4 Man Utd (Bellegarde 45+2′ | Fernandes 25′, 82′ pen, Mbeumo 51′, Mount 62′)
Manchester United responded swiftly and superbly to quell Wolverhampton Wanderers’ brief glimpse of hope and secure a win that takes them from 12th to sixth in the Premier League table.
In a match that started and ended as an attacking training session, United enjoyed the most shots (27) in any game of the Ruben Amorim era.
It was, however, and this is a major caveat, against one of the worst-ever Premier League sides who remain winless after 16 games, are destined for the Championship and have scored the least and conceded the most of any top-tier team this season.
And is it any wonder? The opening goal was comical, and the manner of the first three led to a scathing assessment from their own manager.
“Elements of the first three goals was like watching a kids’ game,” Wolves boss Rob Edwards said. “If you do that at this level, you are not going to win.”
Maybe they are never going to win. At any rate, that Derby record is under serious threat.
For United, meanwhile, the positives are hard to give too much oomph to based on the opposition they just faced, particularly with Bruno Fernandes leading by example as per and lifting the side just when they needed his impetus.
Elsewhere, Matheus Cunha – returning to the club that had polished him into a £62.5m gem – looked desperate to shrug off his recent struggles and played with serious intent after starting up front ahead of Joshua Zirkzee.
It was a show of faith from Amorim, while clearly Cunha was in an experimental mood, constantly switching with Bryan Mbeumo.
Sometimes the pair collided in awkward pockets while the No 9 position went unoccupied, but still this felt the ideal game for the pair to develop an understanding in Benjamin Sesko’s ongoing absence.
The chances came in droves, and while the Wolves fans who had arrived 15 minutes late in protest against owners Fosun may have missed goalkeeper Sam Johnstone deny Diogo Dalot and Mbeumo, they were present to witness United’s shambolic breakthrough goal.
It was the sort only the club 20th and sinking without a trace would let in, with Wolves’ own support chanting “You’re not fit to wear the shirt!” after Andre was robbed of the ball in his own half by Casemiro before Cunha unselfishly squared it to Fernandes.
The United captain had slipped, meaning he had work to do, but against Wolves this season such effort required is minimal, and so Fernandes simply picked himself up, spun around, shrugged off Emmanuel Agbadou and squeezed an effort through Johnstone.
Once United’s attackers sensed this was a night for stat padding it only opened the game back up for Wolves.
The hosts started to show some fight, and with an excited United suddenly forgoing their gameplan after 14 shots, Wolves scored with their first on target when Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s first-time effort on the stretch put smiles on home faces by half-time.
The first goal under Edwards, Wolves’ first in the league since 26 October, ensured that pre-match dread was justifying itself for those United inclined. That, however, is insignificant compared to what Wolves are going through, and despite the brief glimmer that a first win after 16 attempts was possible, that sinking feeling didn’t take long to return.
United to their own credit upped the tempo immediately after the break, with Mbeumo tapping in to round off a well-worked goal before Mason Mount volleyed in from Fernandes’ cross.
Fernandes then scored from the spot to put the game to bed, and while Cunha somehow didn’t get on the scoresheet despite eight shots – the only real negative given his overall endeavour – this was another night where little huff or puff was required to blow the Wolves door down.
They are doomed, and all United can really take from this is a relief they weren’t the first – and perhaps a hope that finding their shooting boots without Sesko is a real sign the push for Champions League football can be a sustained one.
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