NICK PARKES REPORTS ON WOLVES MERRY MOLINEUX WIN AGAINST MANCHESTER UNITED
What a night at Molineux! Facing Manchester United is always a big occasion no matter the form they are in, but to come away with a 2-0 victory, especially under the lights on Boxing Day, is something truly special. The atmosphere was electric, and the team delivered a performance to match. What a difference a week makes; with two wins out of two, Vitor Pereira has breathed organisation and understanding into this team. And with Wolves picking up three more points, it sees us move out of the relegation zone!
Pereira made one change in his first game at Molineux with Ait-Nouri coming straight back in the team after his one game suspension at the expense of Rodrigo Gomes.
LINE UP
Jose Sa, Nelson Semedo, Matt Doherty, Santiago Bueno, Toti, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Andre, Joao Gomes, Gonçalo Guedes, Matheus Cunha, Jorgen Strand Larsen
first half
With the lights on and fog surrounding the Molineux, Wolves started the game in a slightly frantic manner and almost allowed Man U a chance within the first few seconds. As the game settled down it became a cagey affair with a good run from Cunha and a top save from Sa, the highlights of the first 25 minutes.
Cunha was involved again just after this when he played a delicious cross field ball to Semedo whose well placed cross found the head of Larsen, his downward header was well saved by Onana.
Wolves finished the half much the stronger team. Defensively we looked solid with Toti, Andre and Gomes in particular playing very well. Although there were no clear cut chances, a long shot from Semedo and good play by Ait-Nouri on the wings, Wolves looked the more likely to score. 0-0 at half time.
second half
A major talking point came early in the second half. Just minutes after the restart, United’s captain, Bruno Fernandes, received a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Nélson Semedo, reducing them to ten men and rightly so.
Wolves thought they had scored shortly after this with Semedo and Larsen linking up well again. A great cross from the defender once again found the head of Larsen whose header nestled nicely into the net but his run was slightly offside and VAR chalked it off.
We didn’t have to wait long to capitalize. In the 58th minute, Matheus Cunha delivered a corner that curled directly into the net, catching their goalkeeper, André Onana, completely off guard (not for the first time this Christmas period). The sheer audacity of it left us all in awe. Cunha has been a revelation this season, and this moment was just another example of his brilliance.
With the lead and a man advantage, we controlled the game, pressing United high and denying them any meaningful possession. Our midfield duo of Andre and João Gomes were relentless, breaking up play and driving us forward.
As the game entered stoppage time, United pushed forward in desperation, leaving gaps at the back. We seized the opportunity on a swift counter-attack. Cunha, involved again, played a perfectly weighted pass to sub Hwang Hee-chan, who calmly slotted the ball past Onana to seal the victory. It was fantastic to see a smile of Hwang’s face after a very difficult period. The stands erupted; it was the perfect end to a perfect night.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This win lifts us out of the relegation zone and showcases the impact of our new manager, Vítor Pereira, who has now won his first two games in charge. The team’s spirit and determination were evident throughout, and performances like this make us believe that we can climb even higher up the table.
After months of turmoil and abject management and performances it is great to see Wolves play to their potential and have fans walk away from Molineux feeling proud rather than dejected. Still some ways to go but 6 points from 2 games have gone a long way to rebuilding confidence and relationships. We have our team back!
MAN OF THE MATCH – Cunha. God bless the F.A for delaying his ban because he was instrumental today and after a rather quiet period towards the end of Gary O’Neil’s tenure, he looks sharp and determined to lead by example. A phenomenal goal from a phenomenal talent.
ARTICLE BY NICK PARKES
Hi, I’m Nick! Born in Wolverhampton and currently living in Barcelona. I’ve been a Wolves fan since birth (dad’s choice) and was a north bank season ticket holder in my younger days. My favourite all-time player, Bully!
I’m an English teacher by trade and when I’m not scolding teenagers in the class, I’m either running, gardening or watching cricket!