WOLVES 1-4 MAN UTD: Two goals and an assist from Bruno Fernandes inspired Ruben Amorim’s side to a comfortable win against Wolves, although it wasn’t all plain sailing
Bruno Fernandes was on song as Manchester United got back to winning way by beating hapless Wolves 4-1. The Red Devils took a deserved lead through Fernandes on 25 minutes after shambolic defending from Rob Edwards’ rock-bottom side.
But United failed to convert a series of chances before the break and were pegged back, as Jean-Ricner Bellegarde scored Wolves’ first goal since October. Ruben Amorim seemingly gave his players at a rocket at half-time and by the hour mark, the away team were two goals to the good.
Bryan Mbeumo finished off a counter attack as United exposed Wolves’ high line before Mason Mount made it three. Fernandes then went from provider to scorer for the fourth.
The Red Devils were awarded a penalty by VAR and Fernandes buried it to put the game to bed, sending United up into sixth place. Wolves remain in an increasingly perilous position at the foot of the Premier League table, failing to win any of their opening 15 games for the first time in their history.
Here are five talking points from Molineux.
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1. Wolves fans stage protest
They’ve seen a change in the dugout but Wolves’ supporters aren’t satisfied with just that. Their struggles on the pitch are symptomatic of what’s going on upstairs at the club, with chairman Jeff Shi the focus of their anger.
A healthy portion of home fans didn’t take their seats until the 15th minute and chants of ‘Jeff Shi is a w*****’ rang around the ground once they arrived. Chinese investment group Fosun International don’t want to sell at present, but the pressure is building.
2. Fernandes forces comical opener
Some punters argue that the Premier League has never been a stronger when it comes to the quality of players up and down the division. If you changed the scoreboard and kits, though, you’d be forgiven for thinking United’s opener came from Sunday league.
Wolves relinquished possession in their own half, as Casemiro nipped in to give Matheus Cunha a one-on-one with Emmanuel Agbadou. Fernandes came to help him out but Cunha’s pass was behind him, forcing the United captain to trip over.
The United captain managed to quickly recover and fend off Agbadou, squeezing a shot through Sam Johnstone. “What the f***ing was that?” cried the Wolves fans in unison.
3. Wolves end goal drought
Finally, the home crowd had something to cheer about. With United fluffing chance after chance to double their lead, Edwards’ men knew they were still in the game.
The problem was they needed to score, something that they hadn’t done in the previous FIVE games – and never under Edwards. So when Amad left David Moller Wolfe free at the far post to pick up the scraps of a cross, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde smelled blood.
Moller Wolfe’s cutback found Bellegarde, who produced a somewhat acrobatic finish and drew Wolves level in stoppage time. All square at the break.
4. United’s one-two punch
It’d be a surprise if Amorim didn’t give his players a rollicking at half-time. It was beggars belief how they let Wolves back in the game and fortunately for the Red Devils boss, they were much more clinical in the second period.
Cunha slipped through Diogo Dalot on the counter attack, as they feasted on Wolves’ high line to allow Bryan Mbeumo a tap-in after Sam Johnstone went wandering. Just 11 minutes later, Mount made it three.
The England World Cup hopeful, starting his second game of United’s last three, made a savvy run to evade the Wolves defence and was picked out by Fernandes. Mount produced an excellent finish and with Bellegarde having gone off injured between both goals, the wind had been taken out the home side’s sails.
Is survival impossible for Wolves? Have your say in the comments section.
5. Mosquera adds insult to injury
Although Wolves didn’t threaten a comeback, they were defending doggedly to keep the deficit at just two. That was until Yerson Mosquera stuck his arm out after Amad’s shot from close range.
VAR recommended that referee Michael Salisbury review the incident pitch-side and he didn’t need too many looks to award a penalty. Fernandes stepped up and confidently tucked it away, despite Johnstone guessing right.
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