Through the fog of Molineux and the funk of a desperate first half of the season, Manchester United staggered last night. The biggest club in English football drops to 14th place in the Premier League standings, four places above the relegation zone.
It’s a remarkable setup for a team built at enormous cost under Erik ten Hag that actually appears to be regressing under his successor Ruben Amorim.
United’s new manager has lost three games in a row and four of his last five in the league. He is the first United manager since Walter Crickmer in January 1932 to suffer defeat in five of his first 10 games in charge.
Crickmer was sacked later that season and while it seems absurd to even discuss Amorim’s future at this point, the fact that Joao Pereira, his replacement at Sporting Lisbon, was sacked on Christmas Day after just six weeks in charge It’s proof of how ruthless the industry is. football can be.
United would not be so short-sighted, of course, but what will worry Amorim most is the lack of creativity United showed in losing to a resurgent Wolves. Four days after being guilty of failing to convert their chances in the 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth, Amorim’s side failed to create a single notable chance here.
Rubén Amorim’s team suffered its third consecutive defeat after losing 2-0 against Wolves
Matheus Cunha’s first goal beat André Onana directly from the corner flag and the Man United goalkeeper was unable to prevent it, adding to the Red Devils’ defensive problems on set pieces.
Hwang Hee-chan completed a memorable result for the hosts in the 99th minute to make it 2-0.
United also failed to address their defensive weaknesses, conceding an 18th goal this calendar year from a set piece, a rather dubious club record.
It was scored by the match’s most outstanding player, Matheus Cunha, a man who is showing the kind of style and freedom that United are sorely lacking at the moment.
Cunha’s second-half corner went straight over goalkeeper Andre Onana before adding to United’s misery by setting up a late second goal for substitute Hee Chan Hwang.
The Brazilian has been involved in 11 goals in his last 10 league games with seven goals and four assists.
It was enough to lift Wolves out of the danger zone in Vitor Pereira’s first home game in charge and give the new Portuguese manager back-to-back victories.
That’s the kind of rebound United were hoping for from Amorim, but any momentum built up under him has already run out.
They were forced to play much of the second half without captain Bruno Fernandes, who was sent off for the third time this season. Fernandes had already seen red against Tottenham and FC Porto, although Spurs’ sending off was later overturned, and he was out again after receiving a second booking for a late challenge on Nelson Semedo.
Fernandes really should have known better when he overran the ball and stretched to try and retrieve it in the 47th minute, catching Semedo mid-shin.
Man United goalkeeper Onana was beaten too easily for the first goal on a night to forget.
Captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off for the third time this season shortly after half-time.
A very misty Molineux saw Man United sink to a whole new level against a resurgent Wolves.
Cunha scored his seventh goal in 10 league games and provided the fourth assist in added time
However, it would be unfair to blame the defeat on his dismissal given United created very little in the previous 47 minutes Fernandes was on the pitch, but he will be suspended for Monday’s home game against Newcastle along with Manuel Ugarte after being cautioned last time. evening.
Leny Yoro and Fernandes were the other United players booked for early fouls on Cunha as they struggled to contain the Wolves number 10, who produced several moments of outrageous skill.
The home team eclipsed the first half when Onana deflected a Jorgen Strand Larsen header and Gonçalo Guedes and Semedo shook the crowd out of their seats with long-range shots.
The Wolves had already seen a Larsen goal disallowed for offside when Cunha put them ahead in the 58th minute.
United conceded a corner and Pereira attempted to make the most of his set-piece nerves by placing Matt Doherty and Santiago Bueno on either side of Onana on the line.
It worked when Cunha stepped over a delivery from the left and the United goalkeeper was at sea as the ball went over his head and into the net. United’s protests that they had been prevented were in vain.
“I wanted to go for the goal. We had trained that during the week,” Cunha insisted.
It was Onana’s third error this month after he was beaten by a tame Morgan Gibbs-White shot against Nottingham Forest and punished for a poor pass against Viktoria Plzen in Europe.
Amad Diallo (left) is working possibly harder than any Manchester United player for Amorim and was up and down like a tiger during the defeat at Molineux on Boxing Day.
José Sa was forced to perform against United, although he seemed to lack quality in attack.
Amorim sent in five substitutes but they were unable to provide the spark it needed and Wolves secured victory late in the eight minutes of added time when they took the lead.
Lisandro Martínez was alone against Cunha and Hwang, the Brazilian squared the ball for his teammate to bury it against Onana.
So United meet Newcastle at Old Trafford on Monday and midway through their season. Could Amorim return Marcus Rashford to the cold front, or has the unstable star still not done enough to redeem himself?
“If he’s not here, you can make up your mind now,” responded the United manager.