Wolves 2-0 Man United: Ruben Amorim suffers third successive loss with Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-chan on target to sink 10-men visitors after Bruno Fernandes red card
Through the Molineux fog and the funk of a desperate first half of the season, Manchester United staggered on last night. The biggest club in English football down to 14th place in the Premier League table, four places above the relegation zone.
It is a remarkable scenario for a team put together at huge expense under Erik ten Hag that actually appears to be going backwards under his successor Ruben Amorim.
United’s new head coach has now lost three games in a row and four of his last five in the league. He is the first United boss 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 stage, the fact that Joao Pereira, his replacement at Sporting Lisbon, was dismissed on Christmas Day after just six weeks in charge is proof of what a ruthless industry football can be.
United wouldn’t 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 they were guilty of not taking their chances in a 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth, Amorim’s side didn’t create a single one of note here.
Ruben Amorim’s side were handed a third consecutive defeat after losing 2-0 at Wolves
Matheus Cunha’s opener beat Andre Onana directly from the corner flag with the Man United goalkeeper unable to keep it out, adding to the Red Devils’ defensive woes from 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 frailties, conceding a 18th goal this calendar year from a set-piece, a rather dubious club record.
It was scored by the game’s outstanding player, Matheus Cunha, a man who is showing the kind of flair and freedom that United sorely lack at the moment.
Cunha’s second-half corner flew straight in over goalkeeper Andre Onana before he compounded United’s misery by setting up a late second for substitute Hee Chan Hwang.
The Brazilian has now 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 boss back-to-back wins.
That’s the kind of bounce United were hoping for from Amorim, but any momentum built up under him has already petered 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 the Spurs dismissal was later rescinded – and he was off again after picking up a second booking for a late tackle on Nelson Semedo.
Fernandes should really have known better when he overran the ball and stretched to try and win it back in the 47th minute, catching Semedo halfway up the shin.
Man United goalkeeper Onana was beaten far 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 foggy Molineux saw Man United sink to an all-new low up against a resurgent Wolves
Cunha scored his seventh goal in 10 league games and claimed a fourth assist in added time
However, it would be unfair to blame defeat on his dismissal given that United created very little in the previous 47 minutes Fernandes was on the pitch, but he will be banned for Monday’s game at home to Newcastle along with Manuel Ugarte after he was booked last night.
Leny Yoro and Fernandes were the other United players cautioned for early fouls on Cunha as they struggled to contain the Wolves No.10 who produced several moments of outrageous skill.
The home side shaded the first half as Onana tipped away Jorgen Strand Larsen’s downward header and Goncalo Guedes and Semedo got the crowd off their seats with long-range efforts.
Wolves had already had a goal by Larsen ruled out for offside when Cunha put them ahead in the 58th minute.
United conceded a corner and Pereira tried to make the most of their set-piece jitters by standing Matt Doherty and Santiago Bueno either side of Onana on the line.
It worked as Cunha swung over a delivery from the left and the United keeper was all at sea as it sailed over his head and into the net. United’s protests that he had been impeded were in vain.
‘I meant to go for the goal. We had trained that during the week,’ insisted Cunha.
It was Onana’s third blunder this month after he was beaten by a tame shot from Morgan Gibbs-White against Nottingham Forest and punished for a poor pass out away to Viktoria Plzen in Europe.
Amad Diallo (left) is working arguably harder than any Manchester United player for Amorim and was up and down the wing tigerishly throughout the defeat at Molineux on Boxing Day
Jose Sa was forced into action by United, though they seemed to lack any quality in attack
Amorim sent on five substitutes but they couldn’t provide the spark he needed and Wolves made sure of victory at the end of eight minutes of added time when they broke forward.
Lisandro Martinez was on his own against Cunha and Hwang, the Brazilian squaring the ball for his teammate to bury it past Onana.
So United stumble on to Newcastle at Old Trafford on Monday and the halfway point of their season. Could Amorim bring Marcus Rashford back in front the cold, or has the unsettled star not done enough to redeem himself yet.
‘If he’s not here, you can make your mind up,’ replied the United boss.
