Manchester United 2 (Martial 32, Garnacho 90+4) Wolves 0
Wolves’ hunt for a first Premier League away win since February continues after falling to a two-goal defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Having secured their Premier League safety for a sixth consecutive season last weekend, Wolves were unable to replicate their impressive home displays away from Molineux, when Anthony Martial and Alejandro Garnacho found the net in each half to secure the three points for the hosts.
A Wolves debut for goalkeeper Dan Bentley was Julen Lopetegui’s only change from the side which had earned a 1-0 win against Aston Villa last time out, and the Englishman came to his team’s rescue within the opening half an hour of his Premier League bow.
The keeper did well to hang on to Bruno Fernandes’ goalbound free-kick which had beaten the wall, but not Bentley. Before then, the Red Devils had been on top, but had struggled to pose any threat to the Wolves goal.
Christian Eriksen fired a shot well over Bentley’s crossbar before a slip by Kilman almost let Antony in, but the United forward was unable to turn his effort on target. Wolves’ best chance of the half came through Craig Dawson, who latched onto a Pedro Neto low corner, but his left-footed shot didn’t trouble David De Gea.
Moments after a big chance for United which saw Antony head over the crossbar from a good position having latched onto Fernandes’ cross, the forward was heavily involved in his side opening the scoring. The hosts cut Wolves open down their right as Antony was found on the wrong side of Toti, and as he bared down on Bentley’s goal, he played a ball onto a plate for Martial to turn into an unguarded net.
Wolves tried their best to get back into the game in a first-half which was short of clear cut chances for the side from the Black Country, but United held strong and could have doubled their lead just before the break.
Antony found himself in a similar position as he did for the United opener after the hosts broke from a Wolves corner, but instead of setting up Martial in open space inside the box, he cut onto his left, allowing the grey shirts to get back and hound out the danger.
Half-time | Man United 1-0 Wolves
After the break, Wolves looked more threatening than they had during the opening 45 minutes as they pressed United high up the pitch. Mario Lemina saw his cross headed away before half-time change Hee Chan Hwang – on for Neto – was unable to do anything with the follow-up.
Wolves’ main threat came through set-pieces as Kilman twice met Neves corners, but he couldn’t direct his headed efforts on target. But despite Wolves’ pressure, United still posed a threat of their own. Antony’s goalbound shot was deflected away by Dawson before he let fly from distance without troubling Bentley.
However, the Wolves keeper twice kept his side in the game with stunning low saves to first deny Jadon Sancho after the forward had got into space inside to box, before tipping an Antony effort round the post after he was set up by Fernandes.
Wolves pushed bodies forward during the final 20 minutes in search for an equalising goal, which could have come from two dangerous crosses from Nelson Semedo, but no player in a Wolves shirt could get on the end of them, while Adama Traore’s fizzing cross into the box was put behind by Harry Maguire.
In added time and with Lopetegui pushing most of his players high up the pitch, United capitalised with a second goal. Having been played into space in the centre of the pitch after a Wolves cross was cleared, Fernandes set Garnacho away. Despite only being on the pitch for 10 minutes, the youngster turned Semedo before turning a shot into the net off the right post – condemning Wolves to another defeat on the road.
Full-time | Man United 2-0 Wolves
Man United | De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Varane (Maguire 81), Shaw, Casemiro, Eriksen (Fred 81), Fernandes, Antony, Sancho (Garnacho 81), Martial (Weghorst 69).
Unused subs | Butland, Dalot, Malacia, Pellistri, Elanga.
Wolves | Bentley, Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, Toti (Bueno 62), Neves, Lemina (A. Traore 75), Nunes, Neto (Hwang 46), Cunha (Podence 62), Costa (Jimenez 77).
Unused subs | Sa, Collins, J. Gomes, Sarabia.
Referee | John Brooks
