Manchester United and Wolves, both teams went into the match with three consecutive wins under the belt. The Old Trafford class was expected to be a tight affair but it turned out be a lot closer than the Red Devils’ supporters wanted.
The day started with a heartfelt welcome for the former boss Sir Alex Ferguson’s making a comeback after his summer surgery. The emotional out-pour and the crest of the recent away wins seemed perfectly setup to script another romantic triumph, dedicated to the grand old man of Old Trafford.
Alas! It was not to be as Wolves played the party-pooper role impeccably. They may even consider themselves unfortunate to come out of the game with just a solitary point.
The Wolves side, as Mourinho later commented as well, played the game at full tilt. They harried United in possession and displayed composure and panache with the ball. The front three of Jimenez, Jota and Costa ran the United backline into circles. The late substitute Adama Traore tore apart the same raggedy defence and only needed few minutes on the clock to pin the hosts on the mat. The left back Johny Castro had a blinder and the likes of Neves, Doherty, Boly, Bennett and Cody were all rock-solid in putting an impenetrable screen in front of the keeper Rui Patricio. The goal scorer Joao Moutinho capped off an imperious display with a piledriver into De Gea’s goal.
Post match, Mourinho was effusive about Wolves’ attitude but lamented his own team’s lack of it. What comes as a real downer for the Reds of Manchester is the fact that Manchester City and Liverpool had a resounding demolition job in their respective matches. This is a constant reminder of where the Premier League supremacy resides now and the ever-spreading chasm between United and its two arch-adversaries.
Here is how the Manchester United players performed individually:
David de Gea
Started off in a customary bullish mood with quick saves to prevent Wolves taking a deserved lead. The flying Spaniard was sentient throughout 90 minutes against the visitors’ veritable threat on the counter attack. He had a personal duel with Traore in the end as the latter tried to chance his way to a winner for the visitors.
Antonio Valencia
Showed every bit of his age. Valencia was atrocious in attack with hardly a cross missing the first defender. Defensively, he had a nightmare against the likes of Jota and Johny on the left flank. A display unworthy of a United captain let alone the first choice right back. In his defence, Lingard had an equally terrible match in front of him.
Chris Smalling
He had a good game and kept Jimenez and company in check for most parts. He seemed to regain his best form and his partnership with Lindeloff is looking more assured with every match.
However, his distribution from the back stills leaves a lot to be desired.
Victor Lindelof
He had troubles dealing with Jimenez and Jota in Wolves’ attack. He struggles in physical actions of the game and was bullied by Jimenez on a few occasions. He is a good passer but still does not seem overly comfortable in the hustle and bustle of Premier League.
Luke Shaw
This was probably Luke’s most unimpressive display of the season. Blunt and unimaginative in attack he was given a tour of Old Trafford by Costa all throughout the match. He was guilty of losing his man in the build up to the visitors’ goal as.
Inconsistency is performances are holding Shaw from cementing his place in the first XI with Ashley Young showing no signs of letting up his pursuit to reclaim a starting berth.
Notwithstanding all of that, with the likes of Sanchez and Martial in front of him, he may have two good excuses for this particular bad performance.