So there we go – that was a really enjoyable game, mainly because of how well Wolves played, but they end it with nothing. United, meanwhile, will like their start to the season in terms of points but their last two performances have been poor and they need to find a balance, fast. Thanks all for your company and comments, sorry I couldn’t use them all – enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Here’s our match report.
“Everyone saw it,” says Neves. The players have meetings with the refs, who told them that if the contact’s strong enough they’ll given a foul, perhaps unwittingly elucidating why one wasn’t awarded – contact was minimal. “I was the one who touched the ball, it’s a clear foul, nothing more to say,” he summarises.
More generally, he’s never been in a team playing so well but not scoring, and is sure the results will come if they keep it up. If they have 10 games at that level, they’ll win eight of them, and that seems fair enough to me. Better finishing today, and it’s not close.
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For what it’s worth, in the studio, Roy Keane, Robbie Keane and Graeme Souness think it’s a foul – Souness threateningly so – but here’s Neves.
“Deep red Manchester United fan as I am,” confesses Matthew Richman. “Pogba definitely made contact on Neves. You can see his shin pad shift all the way over from the hit. United have got away with one here.”
Contact with the shin pad doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a foul – I thought Pogba’s studs got the top of the ball first - which doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not a foul. Once the ref has allowed the goal, though, I don’t think it’s a clear and obvious error, though watching it again while not trying to type and all the rest of it, it’s more of a foul than i thought at the time.
David de Gea, whose double save was so important, tells Sky that it’s a big win for United though they didn’t play well. Paul Pogba, who’s with him, says they had a chance but Bruno was offside and De Gea was “incredible as always”. De Gea says he tried to get hid body in the way of Saiss – “natural for him says Pogba” and you can’t really do a better job of explaining what happened because you either have those reactions of you don’t.
On the goal, Pogba says it’s the Premier League and it was a 50/50 challenge, and asked about Ronaldo, De Gea says “Who?” They’re both looking forward to playing with him.
“Watch the video,” says Jeff. “You can clearly see the contact of Pogba’s studs on Neves’s shinguards during his over-the-ball, potentially leg-breaking tackle that immediately preceded the goal. It’s astonishing you didn’t even mention this or the Wolves’ players understandable fury over this missed call in your commentary, instead dismissing it as ‘bitching’, which hardly seems objective.”
Every tackle is a potential leg-breaker. Pogba barely touched Neves, if at all, got the ball – though that doesn’t always mean it’s not a foul – and the three officials, the video ref, and Jamie Carragher in commentary all thought it wasn’t a foul never mind a sending off, so I don’t feel that my agreeing with them is a problem. Neves didn’t react until he knew the ball was gone either, and he did bitch at the ref thereafter.
Greenwood puts Man U in the lead!
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I really enjoyed Wolves’ performance today, and once Jimenez is back up to speed, they’ll be a very good side indeed. The league really needs them, and others like them, to get their mojo back so that we don’t end up with the richer clubs winning every week so that the champions and the two or three teams behind them getting upwards of 90 points
United go third in the table with seven points from two games, while Wolves are second-bottom. As the teams go off, Neves wants a chat with Mike Dean, presumably wondering where he finds his intense cool. But he might also want to know why Pogba wasn’t penalised when winning the ball before the goal, and looking again, it seems to me that he won possession just about fairly, his leg extending and not making contact with the man. Maybe, had Dean given the foul, VAR wouldn’t have overruled him, but if we’re trying not to penalise attackers, then I don’t think there’s loads about which to complain.
Full-time: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-1 Manchester United
United snaffle the points with an act of grand larceny, recording their 28th away game without defeat - a Premier League record. Wolves played really well again, but arte still pointless and goalless after three games.
90+6 min United are threatening a second now, Martial and Fernandes combining inside the box, but Wolves clear and Varane wins a towering header then, when the ball is belted towards the box, Maguire gets up first. Eventually, it makes its way to the edge where Gibbs-White waits, but he can only shoot wide.
90+5 min Martial wins a header down the left, then Saiss slides the ball into touch and United find Cavani, who concedes a throw.
90+4 min Ah, Pogba was then late on Podence, which earned him his caution. Wolves send the free-kick down the line, but when the cross comes in the flag goes up, because Silva went too soon.
90+3 min Dalot is late on Saiss and is booked, then Pogba goes down with purported cramp and is also booked, though presumably not for that.
Updated
90+2 min Gibbs-White is booked for a late tackle on Martial.
90+1 min Podence stands up a cross but Varane, who’s been quietly authoritative, flexes his neck to clear. In particular, United have looked really secure at set pieces, a significant weakness last season, and though they’ve got a coach in specifically to address that, I’m sure he’s also a big part of that.
90 min United have disappeared the final few minutes pretty competently, but Wolves have five minutes of added time to save themselves.
89 min United send Dalot on for Greenwood.
88 min Wolves have been a joy to watch today, as I believe they were in defeat to Spurs last Sunday. As United have improved in the final quarter, they’ve wilted just a little, but they’ll give a hard time to every team in the country playing like this.
87 min Gibbs-White and Silva replace Coady, who passes the armband to Moutinho, and the glorious Traore.
86 min “Great game for the neutrals like me,” says Rick Harris. “Chances at both ends and I can see how Lage has already made Wolves as entertaining as they were in their first season back in the PL. Van de Beek has had plenty of chances it seems to me, but hasn’t done anything with them. That might sound harsh, but at a club like United you have to win the right to wear the shirt. He isn’t first choice for his country either.”
Hmmm, agree it’s been a good game but Wolves have created almost all the serious chances. I’m not certain Van de Beek has had chances, but you’ve got to assume he’s not been good enough in training to earn them.
85 min United have been so poor today, justifying what all the critics have said – they lack structure and need a midfielder – but when you’ve got so many brilliant attacking players, you can beat anyone.
84 min Fred is booked for fouling Saiss, who’s booked for mouthing about it and life in general.
83 min Moutinho knees Pogba’s thigh as he makes off with the ball and Wolves need to keep the head here. They’ve played so well today, but their composure at key moments has let them down.
81 min This is like cricket, Wolves essentially asking Mike Dean to review. But Pogba won the ball off Neves, and Neves is booked for bitching about the call.
GOAL! Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-1 Manchester United (Greenwood 80)
Three in three! Greenwood is a superstar! A poor touch from Pogba incites him to dive in on Neves, winning the ball and, I think, missing the man. The ball goes to Varane then wide to Greenwood, who shifts it outside Saiss then drives low and hard from wide in the box - we’ve seen that before – seeking the far corner. Sa should cut it out but is surprised by the earliness and power of the shot, only able to deflect it into the net!
Updated
79 min Pogba narrowly avoids being caught in possession just outside his own box sending Wan-Bissaka away. He finds Greenwood, whose cross is tickled by Fernandes ... and trickles across the face.
77 min “Has the lesser-spotted van de Beek now become completely extinct?” asks Justin Kavanagh.
It’s an odd one isn’t it? It’s hard to believe he’s of as little use as his manager seems to deem him, and if he’s only ever going to be trusted as a number 10, there’s no point him being at United given their options in that area. But they need to find something in midfield, and how much worse can he be than what we’ve seen these last two games?
76 min Sa clears well and De Gea has to come racing out of his box, sticking the ball into touch. He’d gone stale over the last few seasons - understandable I guess, playing in a team not even challenging for the big pots while getting paid loads with no competition for his place – but he looks to have found himself again over the summer.
75 min The corner isn’t cleared properly and Greenwood looks to come around the outside, slipping and knocking to Pogba as a consequence. He shimmies to make space, then wallops a shot that Sa tips over the top; the resultant corner comes to nowt.
73 min Looking again at that double save, you think Saiss should score, but he makes a good connection, banging a side-footer towards the corner. But because De Gea is already on the ground, he’s low enough to stop it and anticipated where it was going but here come United, Greenwood dashing down down the left and away from Coady, sliding a cross towards Cavani. But Kilman comes over to intercept and the ball goes behind off Saiss.
72 min Sancho, who’s had a stinker, is replaced by Martial.
72 min “If anyone is looking for role models for their kids go to your local hospital’s ICU ward,” emails Mary Waltz. “As far as diving Premier League footballers, every team does it on a constant basis and if you have a favourite team you root for a diver.”
71 min Traore is playing down the right now, what a treat that is for Luke Shaw, and he slides a ball back to Neves who punches a shot from the edge that’s straight at De Gea.
70 min Podence replaces Trincao.
69 min WHAT A SAVE! AND WHAT A SAVE! Moutinho’s corner is bang on the money and Saiss is up, thumping a header down that De Gea parries then, as the ball rebounds to Saiss, maybe two yards out, the keeper gets up and somehow parries what should be a tap-in! Say what you like about De Gea, who’s been poor for three seasons now, but his reactions are better than those of any keeper I’ve ever seen.
Updated
67 min Shaw looks for Maguire who goes down and eventually Wolves counter, Traore sonning off Fred and forcing Shaw into a desperate tackle that wins the ball ... momentarily. Because Traore gets up and looks for the line, winning another corner...
66 min United come again, Fernandes measuring a ball towards the back post and Saiss, aware that Cavani is lurking behind him, nudges over the by-line for another corner. United have loads in the box - Cavani, Maguire, Pogba, Varane – but the delivery so far today has been miserable.
65 min Shaw punts a hopeful diag to no one, but Marcal doesn’t get a call from Sa, who has it covered, so slides in to stick the ball behind. He’ll feel a right charlie if United score from this corner, but Saiss heads away.
64 min There’s no reason not to expect Wolves to create more chances as United chase a goal.
62 min Pogba and Fernandes combine but when the ball goes right, Wan-Bissaka gives it away and here come Wolves again! Jimenez finds Traore down the left and he looks up then slides over to Trincao, alone in the middle! He should take a touch and finish, but instead his eyes light up and he swings a foot at a weak finish effort that bobbles wide! Yet another let-off for United!
61 min Traore goes down the right, running off Fred as Shaw goes to Semedo, the man in possession. Sure enough, the ball winds up with Traore, whose cross is a fine one, but Wan-Bissaka does uncharacteristically well at the back post, beating Jimenez to it and somehow winning the goalkick too.
59 min United are starting to control possession and find Sancho down the left, who rolls his studs over the ball before playing a careless square pass that allows Semedo to intercept.
58 min Pogba plays another of those silly passes, first-time over the top for Fernandes. But nicely though he controls it, the ball doesn’t quite go into stride so he has to square for Sancho, only for a touch from a defender, Coady I think, to take it away from him, and Fred’s follow-up thump is straight at Sa.
Updated
56 min The game’s getting scrappier, with less flow than in the first half.
54 min “Pogba has been excellent so far this season because he’s been played in his real position,” says Roy Allen. “But for this game he’s been moved back to a holding/regista role which doesn’t suit him. United should have spent the money they splaffed on old man Ronaldo on Declan Rice, thus freeing up Pogba to do what he does for France.”
Pogba can play as one of two – he’s done it for France - but his intensity has been off today, and he can’t rely on the bloke next to him to compensate. And for Juve, he often played in a midfield three, but the other two were Pirlo and Marchisio, allowing him to just do his thing, while United have Fernandes, who’s better than him in that role.
53 min United send on Cavani for James, so I guess Sancho will go back left – he and James had swapped - with Cavani through the middle and Greenwood down the right.
52 min Wan-Bissaka charges at the corner and heads clear, allowing United to build. Again, though, there are no angles into midfield, Fred and Pogba flat until the latter spreads right for Sancho, whose pass into Greenwood is poor. United, though, keep at it, and James’ low cross is cleared.
51 min A nice little passage for Wolves, Neves orchestrating, then Trincao – he’s been terrific – megs Maguire and might shoot, but instead tries to square and Varane slides the ball behind.
50 min United are starting to win some second balls but the quality of their passing still isn’t good enough to trouble Wolves.
49 min United move the ball along the back four but every time it goers into midfield the man in possession struggles for options. This time, they find James, whose touch is poor and winds up earning Wolves a throw.
48 min Shaw’s outswinger is easily cleared and Pogba collects the ball down the right, bursting past his man, but his pass ends up with Sa.
47 min Shaw prods to Sancho, near the corner flag, and Kilman comes over to stick the ball behind.
46 min Neves flicks over Shaw so Fernandes comes over to nod away, this time wearing a boot in the chops from his buddy; lovely stuff.
46 min I should add that the first half was a lot of fun, and we look set for more of the same in the second.
46 min We go again!
Back come the teams...
“Pogba is a pretty sensational player,” reckons Digvijay Yadav. “But why does he dawdle on the ball so much. Some times it’s better to do the simple thing. Pass and move. No need to pirouette in the middle of the pitch and get caught out. Think better to bring on VdB for James. And free up Pogba.”
That’d be my change too, and the thing with Pogba is that he sometimes struggles to find the intensity necessary to impose himself on games, much as he loves manipulating the ball.
“United showing in the first half why the Ronaldo dosh might have been better spent on a midfielder who could cover Pogba’s visible contempt for anything remotely resembling positional discipline,” says Stephen Carr. “That being said, they could always find a more lucrative tractor partner and buy one anyway.”
The balance hasn’t worked so far, it’s true, but let’s not sleep on how miserable the passing has been.
Both managers have things to consider at the break. Lage will be delighted with his team’s work and eager for them to keep doing as they’ve been doing, but will surely expect United to improve so will do well to be ready for that. Solskjaer, meanwhile, needs to decide whether he gives his starting XI a going-over then another go, or replaces James with Matic or Van de Beek to try and win the midfield battle.
“It’s not just the lack of tempo-regulation in midfield,” says Christopher Flaherty. “This team is too passive and too brittle mentally to be serious contenders. When it’s put up to us, we don’t want it. We react badly to unexpected tests.”
So how do you explain all the comeback wins? I don’t think the problem is of mentality, but of quality – they’re struggling to play through midfield – and of balance. They need a lot more from Pogba, in particular, who’s giving Fred very little help when he needs all of the help.
Updated
“With such an open and fast-paced game,” says Justin Kavanagh, “this new wait-and-see approach by the refs makes them look like they’re doing their job in slow-motion. Mind you, it is Mike Dean, who would make Hamlet look decisive.”
I like the new leniency, I must say, but Dean is decisive, he’s just a dramatic genius.
“United have been outplayed this half,” says Keith Sanderson. “I realise that people keep saying that Bruno is world class, but he‘s a terrible actor and, for someone that goes down in a breeze, he‘s certainly no example to youngsters.”
It depends, I guess. I don’t rely on footballers to raise my daughter and wouldn’t recommend anyone does, but quite enjoy Fernandes’ confidence, drive and eloquence. I’m not sure he’s gone to ground easily today, but if he doesn’t calm down, Dean will soon be brandishing the red card like Steve Backley.
Half-time: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-0 Manchester United
Wolves have been good, United have been the opposite of good, and Shaw has to haul Fernandes away at the whistle – he’s not happy with the refereeing. It does seem that the home side have had the better of the marginal calls, but there’s been nothing egregious.
45 min Lovely from United, Shaw nipping into Fernandes, who flicks beautifully for Greenwood to run onto. Haring into the box, a slightly harder version of the left-foot finish he scored against Leeds is on, and he connects beautifully ... but Sa fingernails behind ... and Dean awards a goalkick.
44 min Lil Mikey Dean adjudges Varane to have fouled Jimenez, and when Fernandes shares some sentiments, he’s booked. So Maguire comes over for a word, and Dean sends him off with a bee in his ear.
43 min Better from United, Pogba finding Fernandes who finds James. But he doesn’t have the nerve to shoot first-time, instead taking it on one and screwing a cross that eludes everyone when the shooting lane vanishes.
41 min I baulk at the term “holding midfielder” because running and passing should be what every midfielder does, but United have needed one for about five years and they still do. They might score enough goals to challenge for the title or win a cup, but it’s hard to see them winning the big pots until that’s addressed. Meantime, Neves sweeps a long shot just wide, and it’s a fair while since United have been dominated so thoroughly.
39 min United are improving, playing with a little more composure ... and as I type that, Pogba is caught in possession, Wolves countering again, 4v3! But this time they get men around Traore and smother his shot; they’ll be doing seriously well to get out of this half 0-0.
38 min Pogba plays one of his specials, the first-time, curling through ball. Bruno latches onto it and thrashes past Sa, but he started his run fractionally early and the flag goes up.
37 min There’s a huge gap in the middle of the pitch where the two midfields are meant to be and it’s working well for Wolves, who are dominating down both flanks.
36 min Another United error sees Varane forced to intervene and after more poor defending they get the ball into Greenwood, who’s robbed by Semedo.
35 min Neves into Jimenez, who has an angle to slide in Trincao ... but Maguire makes a fine and important interception.
34 min And they don’t waste the opportunity, Traore attacking Varane on the outside. But just as he looks to have him beat, Varane comes back, poking behind for a corner that Maguire heads out for throw.
33 min United are struggling to make angles for their defenders, so they’re struggling to put passes together, but Fred wins it high up the pitch and finds Sancho, who sends Greenwood down the right of the box. He can’t find a crossing angle, so United have to backwards where Fernandes and Shaw go for the same ball, enabling Wolves to build again.
Updated
32 min We’ve barely seen United’s numerous attackers.
31 min Solskjaer uses the break to reorganise his team, while Lage calls a huddle too.
30 min Wolves get the corner away at the second attempt, then Fernandes goes down after being booted by his good mate Neves.
29 min United try to get something going, Fernandes switching nicely out to James. His cross is low and hard, looking for Greenwood, and having overrun the action Saiss does well, dragging the ball from behind him and out of play.
Updated
28 min Wolves have been a joy to watch so far; United have been risible.
26 min Varane heads clear, but again the ball comes back, Jimenez running off Varane ... but he went too early, so as Saiss volleys his cross fractionally wide, the flag goes up.
24 min United give it away, a poor pass from Varane setting Wolves away. This time, Traore bends a ball into the box, forcing Maguire to extend a meaty thigh and concede the corner. Again, United win the first ball but can’t get out, and when Sancho barges Semedo, Moutinho will take another opportunity to stick the ball into the box.
23 min But Moutinho’s delivery is poor, landing right on Varane’s forehead and he heads clear. Wolves, though, maintain pressure and Moutinho chips in for Coady – who, it turns out was offside – to head wide.
21 min It’s worth noting that Ronaldo would not be helping United control this game. It makes no difference how good your strikers are if you can’t get them the ball, and that’s where we are now, Wolves winning another corner off Fred.
20 min Fernandes drifts left and looks for a killer ball in behind but makes a mess of it. United, though, regain possession until James gives it away and Trincao races off, ducking inside Fred then away from Shaw, who hauls him down by the neck. The home side are playing superbly.
19 min ...which Fernandes heads clear. Wolves have been much the better side so far.
18 min Fred wins a 50/50 with Jimenez but the ref appraises a foul after the Wolves players react and Moutinho will swerve a free-kick into the box from the right...
17 min United try to calm things down, keeping the ball before Shaw pokes down the line for Sancho ... who’s wandered offside.
16 min “Hard to remember a sustained worse start to a game than the stint Fred is putting in,” says Adam Roberts. Try Tiemoue Bakayoko for Chelsea at Watford in February 2018.
15 min “I can’t think of another footballer at this level who is as capable of such outlandish amateurism,” says Tom Collins – but of whom? “Fred is a central midfielder who looks daunted by possession, is easily flustered and usually requires a second touch to get control of the ball. Carrick must despair!”
He can play well sometimes and United don’t have another midfielder with his agility, but I agree, his carelessness in possession is astounding.
14 min Here comes Wolves again, Marcal swinging a cross over from the left that goes beyond the back post, where Sancho looks to nod back. But he doesn’t get enough on it and Jimenez swipes across the face, for Moutinho to lamp over the top! Wolves are into this!
12 min Traore is on one here, bouncing Wan-Bissaka who tries to match him physically – silly boy – before feeding Jimenez, whose shot is blocked by Fred. Wolves have started very impressively, and United need to find a way of dealing with the main man.
Updated
10 min Fernandes spanks into the wall and the ball rears up, Maguire winning the next head and nodding over to James, who drills wide of the far post. Already, there’s been more action than in the last few games between these sides combined.
10 min Greenwood feeds a short pass into Fernandes and Coady comes right through him, knee bashing into knee. Free-kick United, 25 yards out and just right of centre...
9 min Wan-Bissaka advances down the right and has options, so clips a floater into Sa’s grateful arms. He giveth and he taketh away.
7 min Fred finds Fernandes, who drags a weak shot from distance wide.
5 min United’s set-pieces were good last week, save their finishing from them, but this time the delivery is poor and when Fred gives it away – fail to prepare, prepare to fail – Trincao leads Wolves away at inside-right! He dashes into the box, De Gea comes out to narrow the angle ... and Trincao slots under his extended leg, only for Wan-bissaka to extend a go-go Gadget leg, saving on the line! But that’s twice United have been shredded on the counter, twice on account of Fred’s careless feet!
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4 min Pogba seems to be sitting deep and next to Fred when United are defending, before bounding forward to make an extra man in attack, and as they build down the left a Shaw cross is blocked behind for a corner.
2 min But here he comes, weaving inside, and United move it nicely until Fred gives it away – Ctrl C, Ctrl V – and Traore barrels from box to box before slipping to Jimenez outside him! There’s a man at the back stick but Jimenez shoots and De Gea saves with his feet, low by the near post! Fred then does enough to persuades Traore to volley fresh air as the ball comes down, and what a start that almost was!
Updated
2 min Sancho is on the left for United with James on the right. I’m not sure why – I think both prefer that side, but Sancho is more comfortable where he’s less comfortable.
1 min To avoid clashing with Wolves’ gold, United have binned their red for a blue and white affair as they try to make coin out of nostalgia for the snowflake effort of 1990-91 and 1991-92.
1 min Away we go!
It’s so good to see Raul Jimenez back. I’ve no idea of the mental strength it takes to put yourself about after so horrific an injury, but I’m certain it’s a lot, and I’m sure he’ll be back to his old self very soon.
Hwang Hee-chan, Wolves’ new signing from Leipzig, has been introduced to the crowd – he’ll play after the international break – and here come the teams!
“I agree with Matthew Richman,” says Rich Harris. “United last season drew far too many games and ultimately that cost them a serious title challenge. Ronaldo is still one hell of a player. Traoré can be unplayable, but his end product is variable. I don’t agree there is no one else like him in world football though. Alain St-Maximin at Newcastle and Kylian Mbappe spring to mind.”
Those you name are good players, but they don’t have Traore’s physicality. Otherwise, United just weren’t good enough to win the league last season, and their major problem was the lack of a midfielder able to control the tempo of the game while allowing Pogba and Fernandes to create. They still don’t have that, and it cost them last week.
Wolves will not a lot from their wing-backs today, because you can be sure United will want to get at them in wide areas, sending the full-backs forward with the wingers. But also in attack, neither Neves nor Moutinho like to run past the strikers, so Semedo and Marcal will need to get into the box and help Traore and Trincao create overloads.
“Why Daniel James and not Lingard?” asks Freddy Davidson. “Only thing James brings is pace while Lingard brings goals and consistency and Mata brings creativity and composure. Why not start either one of them two? I’ll guarantee James is coming off at the start of the second half.”
James allows United to speed the game up because his pressing is good, is better off the left where there’s a gap today, and is fully fit. Lingard, on the other hand, has had corona, which can take it out of you physically.
Eesh, Solskjaer says Ronaldo is a “great human being” and will add something to the squad that he’s not got. He goes on to say that Lindelof is “rested” – course he is, sweetheart - and hope the team start on the front foot. Molineux can be a difficult place to go, but he expects the away end to be buzzing. He’s not bothered about United’s unbeaten away record, and last week’s point is only a decent one if they win today. His team are gradually improving, and he’s added experience to youth this summer, as well as Sancho, and Ronaldo enjoys being told he’s too old so he can prove people wrong. Solskjaer says the paperwork isn’t complete yet, but perhaps the plan is to present Ronaldo on the pitch as with Varane.
On Friday, Solskjaer said this: “When you’ve got a game every eight days it’s hard for a manager when you’ve got the quality of players I’ve got to leave players out, but it’s just the balance between consistency and rotation,” and his ability to manage this will be key. United’s best football of the late-Fergie era came in 06-07, but because the squad was small, they lost the Champions League semi and cup final before limping over the line in the league. So that summer, Nani, Anderson and Hargreaves arrived and United won old big ears, but the cohesion was never quite the same.
“I see Ronaldo as a far better fit for this United side than he would be for City,” emails Matthew Richman. “For all of the attacking talent Ole has to call on, only Cavani is a target man in the box. For a team that struggled to break down deep defences last year, having one of the world’s most reliable goal-getters leading the forward line just doesn’t seem like a bad thing.”
I see that too – I’d expect Ronaldo to play between the width of the posts, and with Sancho, Shaw, Pogba and Fernandes around, he should get decent service. But if he can’t press opposing defenders, that might stop United speeding the game up and winning the ball high up the pitch - perhaps Bruno will do that while he drops. It’s going to be interesting finding out.
“Apropos of absolutely nothing (as you’ll shortly see), if the league title were decided on the total number of diacritical marks in the names of players, would Wolves have this in the bag? Between the 25 players with numbers listed on Wikipedia I count 15 total diacritical marks; an outrageous 0.6 diacritical marks per player. And that’s not including another three from the eight players currently on loan from Wolves.
Anyway, of slightly more footballing interest: I really hope this will be a good game. Wolves with a deserved reputation for upsetting members of the so-called big six, and a Manchester United packed full of quality .. .but is Solskjaer trying to get one too many still-quite-new signings to gel at once? Will both teams just try to counter, leading to a dreadfully tedious stalemate (I hope not)? Let’s find out!”
Wolves, what a team! I doubt we see a tentative one today because both sides need a win and are set up to attack. If I was Lage, I’d have stuck an extra man in midfield I think, because the way it looks, they’re not going to test United’s most obvious weakness – two attackers there, and Fred. Other hand, he’s trying to bed in a style and this is a home game, so it’s understandable that he’s sticking to what he wants.
Lage tells Sky that Wolves have had a good week. He saw the same dynamic at Forest despite making seven changes and expects another good performance against a strong team. He’s told his team to defend when they have to but to try and keep the ball when they have it as big teams don’t like to be without it.
Spurs have beaten Watford 1-0 and go to the top of the table. But imagine how much higher they’d be if Mourinho was still in charge!
Burnley-Leeds has finished 1-1, so the home side move out of the bottom three to 16th, while Leeds are one place above. Arsenal are at the foot.
I’m really excited to see how Traoré does this season. There’s no other player in world football who can do what he can do at his best, and a team with an attacking intention should help him reach that level more often. I’ve not seen much of Trincao, who plays on the opposite flank, but Neto should be back before winter, and those two along with Jimenez makes for an extremely tasty threesome.
Here are my thoughts on Ronaldo to United, should anyone want them. As far as the football bit goes, I have reservations – can he press, is Solskjær strong enough to leave him out? – but there are also aspects that should improve things – inspiring the squad, reliable goalscoring, big-game temperament. Of course, there’s more than football to consider in all this, and that’s a very different matter.
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“Has Ronaldo arrived in Manchester yet?” asks Richard Harris. “Is he in the stands? Where is he? We need to be told this as soon as possible as it affects the game massively. Sancho will be feeling like he has to score to have any hope of staying in the team, and Greenwood will know that CR7 has form as a goal hanger. What will Ronaldo’s shirt number be? 77?”
I’m afraid I’m not certain of the answers to any of these questions, but my guess is that Ronaldo will use the international break to move – I doubt he’s at Molineux. I think Sancho will be fine, and that we’ll see plenty of rotation, but over the last few months Greenwood has made himself undroppable, so he’ll be fighting with Rashford for a spot in the side.
In pre-season, Solskjaer indicated that he planned to move from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3, which reflects his increased confidence in the parsimony of his defence and menace of his attack. And as far as that goes, Wolves are decent opponents to test things against, because United’s fear – that a midfield three featuring both Pogba and Fernandes might leave them light in that area – should not be threatened too badly by Wolves pair of Neves and Moutinho. Both are fine players, but neither is the kind of physical beast able to get about the pitch for 90 minutes, and there are only two of them.
Leeds have equalised at Burnley, Patrick Bamford with the goal.
As for United, they make changes: as we discussed earlier, Varane is in – I wonder if Lindelof is almost relieved, because he’ll have known as dropping was in the post for most of the summer – while Matic is also omitted. His spot goes to James, who will, I imagine, start on the left which allows Pogba to move back into midfield. Sancho comes in on the right, in place of Martial, whose position through the middle goes to Greenwood, relocated from the flank.
The team news for Wolves is simple: Lage was so satisfied with what he saw against Spurs that he keeps the same side.
We’ll look at those teams properly in a second, but before that, Burnley lead Leeds 1-0 – John Brewin has the latst 10 of that – while Nuno’s Spurs lead Watford 1-0 thanks to another Son goal. If they can hang on, they’ll retain the division’s only 100% record.
Teams!
Wolverhampton Wanderers (3-4-3, but less stultifyingly so): Sa; Kilman, Coady, Saïss; Semedo, Moutinho, Neves, Marçal; Trincao, Jimenez, Traoré. Subs: Ruddy, Hoever, Ait-Nouri, Dendoncker, Cundle, Gibbs-White, Silva, Podence, Boly
Manchester United (4-3-3, finally): De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Maguire, Shaw; Fred, Pogba, Fernandes; Sancho, Greenwood, James. Subs: Heaton, Mata, Lingard, Dalot, Van de Beek, Matic, Lindelof, Cavani, Martial
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Preamble
Afternoon all, and welcome to the Premier League’s most reliably turgid match. Since Wolves returned to the division in 2018 they’ve met United nine times, the 11 goals those games have yielded painting a far more thrilling picture of events than has actually been the case.
But today there’s a strong chance that things will be different. Under Nuno Espirito Santo, Wolves were an unfathomably constipated endeavour, packed with zestful talents like Rúben Neves, Adam Traoré, Pedro Neto, Raúl Jim and Daniel Podence, but sent out to contain and counter when they were good enough to just let it flow.
Bruno Lage, though, has different priorities, his team’s 0 league points and goals unreflective of their aggressive intent or level of performance. Fresh from a midweek hiding of Nottingham Forest, they’ll look to get after United today.
United, meanwhile, might finally be ready to control games rather than punctuate them. If Raphaël Varane starts, they’ll be able to play a higher line in which all four members of their defence can be trusted one-on-one, which should allow Ole Gunnar Solskjær to move Paul Pogba back into midfield and stick Jadon Sancho into the team, alongside two other attackers. After a poor second half at Southampton last weekend, they need a performance, and we’ve not even mentioned the imminent return of Him. This should be enjoyable.
Kick-off: 4.30pm BST
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