Wolves 2-0 Man Utd (Cunha 58′, Hwang 90+9)
The mist over Molineux did its best to shield their eyes but that was perhaps the only comfort for Manchester United’s travelling fans.
First they listened to the roar as new Wolves manager Vitor Pereira was presented to the crowd ahead of his first home game; before long, he had provided a reminder of just how desperately his compatriot Ruben Amorim needs support from above in the coming transfer window.
United’s day did not spark into life until Bruno Fernandes’ sending off almost immediately after half time for a foul on Nelson Semedo. Their blunt attack was exemplified by an exasperated Rasmus Hojlund flying off the handle at Amad Diallo’s botched pass.
The story was a very different one for Matheus Cunha, Wolves’ Brazilian forward who has been endlessly linked with a move to Old Trafford. He added fuel to those rumours by liking a recent comment on social media reading “Manchester United soon”.
As he cruised past Noussair Mazraoui and drew fouls from Fernandes and Leny Yoro, it was already clear why so many believe he is the man to replace Marcus Rashford at United – there was once again no room for the England international in Amorim’s matchday squad.
But then came the clincher, a sign as much of Cunha’s brilliance as United’s failure to learn from their mistakes. Last Thursday, it was Son Heung-min who looped an in-swinging corner into the net for Tottenham against them – little wonder then that Cunha tried his luck too, with the same result for his 10th goal in all competitions this term.
Andre Onana complained that he had been impeded by Matt Doherty. His anger would have been better directed at his defence, who were brutally exposed from a set piece yet again, having no one on the post to head the ball out.
Had he been more selfish, Cunha might have a second as he raced clear on the break deep into stoppage time; instead he made the right call by teeing up Hwang Hee-chan to double Wolves’ lead.
Earlier Onana had done well to tip over a Jorgen Strand Larsen header – in fact both goalkeepers were called upon as Jose Sa had to be at full stretch to keep out Diogo Dalot from outside the box.
That is the essence of United’s season so far – there are always caveats and suspicions that they ought to have scored more, especially against this, the most porous defence in the top flight.
Yet the feeling in the Black Country is that the tide is turning under Pereira, who has two wins from two games after last week’s 3-0 victory at Leicester. Amorim, meanwhile, has the same tally from his first seven in charge at United – in these parts, they call that Erik ten Hag form.
