EPL: Own goal costs Wolves victory over Manchester United’s top-four bid

Only 17 days after being dumped out of the FA Cup quarter-finals by Nuno Espírito Santo’s increasingly impressive team, Manchester United suffered a defeat that could have severe ramifications for their hopes of finishing in the top four with 2-1.

A match that could not have got off to a better start, after Scott McTominay scored in only 13 minutes, ended with a third defeat in four matches and Solskjær’s first since he was appointed the club’s permanent manager. That United were their own worst enemies compounded his sense of frustration.

A mistake by Fred gifted Wolves their equaliser, Ashley Young was sent off for two bookable offences – Mike Dean, the referee, wasting no time in brandishing his 100th Premier League red card – and Chris Smalling scored an own goal. Throw in the fact United squandered a host of decent opportunities – Solskjær was not exaggerating when he said they could have been 3-0 up – and this will go down as a match he will want to forget.

Wolves, in contrast, will cherish another memorable victory. 

They have taken 13 points from the top-six clubs this season and this win seemed particularly special given it came hot on the heels of their triumph over the same opponents in the FA Cup last month. “Can we play you every week,” chanted the Wolves supporters.

It certainly felt like the perfect preparation for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Watford at Wembley, when the Wolves players will arrive with a spring in their step, in particular Raúl Jiménez and Diogo Jota, who combined for the first goal and are forming quite a double act up front. “The partnership is very good – the more time they spend together, things come out,” Nuno said. “Mutual knowledge is important.”

Not that this had looked like being a productive night for Wolves in the early stages. Despite the absence of Marcus Rashford, who was ruled out with an ankle injury, United started superbly, with Jesse Lingard’s attempt to take on the Wolves team straight from kick-off – he skipped past several challenges before shooting tamely at Rui Patrício – a sign of things to come.

McTominay’s goal was the least they deserved for their dominance in the first 20 minutes. Romelu Lukaku met Diogo Dalot’s right-wing cross with a powerful header from six yards that Patrício kept out with an instinctive save, while Lingard, who seemed to have the freedom of the penalty area, later saw an attempt to nod the ball into the far corner beaten away by the Wolves goalkeeper.

Patrício, however, could do nothing about McTominay’s goal. A clutch of Wolves players were drawn to Fred, expecting him to shoot after Lingard had picked him out in space, but instead the Brazilian smartly offloaded the ball to McTominay and he drilled a low 25 yard-shot that flew through Willy Boly’s legs and into the far corner.

A match that could not have got off to a better start, after Scott McTominay scored in only 13 minutes, ended with a third defeat in four matches and Solskjær’s first since he was appointed the club’s permanent manager. That United were their own worst enemies compounded his sense of frustration.

    Own goal by Manchester player

A mistake by Fred gifted Wolves their equaliser, Ashley Young was sent off for two bookable offences – Mike Dean, the referee, wasting no time in brandishing his 100th Premier League red card – and Chris Smalling scored an own goal. 

Wolves, in contrast, will cherish another memorable victory. They have taken 13 points from the top-six clubs this season and this win seemed particularly special given it came hot on the heels of their triumph over the same opponents in the FA Cup last month. “Can we play you every week,” chanted the Wolves supporters.

It certainly felt like the perfect preparation for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Watford at Wembley, when the Wolves players will arrive with a spring in their step, in particular Raúl Jiménez and Diogo Jota, who combined for the first goal and are forming quite a double act up front. “The partnership is very good – the more time they spend together, things come out,” Nuno said. “Mutual knowledge is important.”

Not that this had looked like being a productive night for Wolves in the early stages. Despite the absence of Marcus Rashford, who was ruled out with an ankle injury, United started superbly, with Jesse Lingard’s attempt to take on the Wolves team straight from kick-off – he skipped past several challenges before shooting tamely at Rui Patrício – a sign of things to come.