PAUL POGBA FLUFFED another penalty for Manchester United to deny them victory – the question is though, why was he taking it? That is the fourth miss in a year for United from Pogba after also failing to find the net against Burnley, Everton and Southampton. Yes he has scored a decent amount, but confident […]
PAUL POGBA FLUFFED another penalty for Manchester United to deny them victory – the question is though, why was he taking it?
That is the fourth miss in a year for United from Pogba after also failing to find the net against Burnley, Everton and Southampton.
Yes he has scored a decent amount, but confident Rashford belted one against Chelsea into the top left hand corner just as he had done against PSG.
Both were unstoppable, Pogba’s wasn’t. A good save, but a good height for goalkeeper Rui Patricio and far too near him.
Rashford seemed to be questioning Pogba before the kick about why he wasn’t taking it.
It was a question United fans will have also been asking on the way home.
What a three points it would have been to grab as well at a ground where they lost twice last season.
A place where 31,000 fans make the noise of three times that many.
Wolves, seventh last season, just a place behind United are a tough side to face.
This was a different test to the one against Chelsea.
Less space to exploit, more need for patience and they have that.
This is a side that were playing without fear and without panic in the first half.
Wolves were clearly fully aware of United’s pace and threat on the break and dropped very deep with five men at the back and another two in front of them.
There have been times in the last six years when faced with such an obstacle United would run out of ideas, reduce themselves to just putting hopeful crosses in.
Last night they weaved their way through their opponents to score the opening goal in the 27th minute a way that, dare I say it, their near neighbours City do.
With one touches and movement it began in their own half with Luke Shaw and Scott McTominay and just gathered threat and momentum as it went on.
Shaw continued to be involved finding Jesse Lingard who touched it off to Marcus Rashford and his through ball slid between two Wolves men was perfect for Martial who had sprinted past him.
The finish was superb hammered into the roof of the net.
The players celebrated as one in front of the travelling faithful.
Earlier they had been trying to use the pace of Daniel James on the other flank as the 21-year-old Welshman made his full debut.
What an impact he had made the previous weekend when he scored the fourth goal against Chelsea just seven minutes after coming on as a sub.
He has been nicknamed ‘The Flash’ by Jesse Lingard after the superhero renowned for his incredible speed.
It was something Wolves were ready to combat as he was felled twice but both times referee Jon Moss thought he had dived, the second time he gave him a yellow card.
The thing is he goes at such a pace that any slight touch can fell him and it looks bad.
He got the treatment in the Championship last season and was targeted by Spurs in a pre-season game in Shanghai.
He says he is used to it, but he has to be careful not to get a reputation of going down too easily and certainly the second time he looked like he did.
Still he was not deterred and raced around the field not only with the ball but in a quest to win it back.
This is one determined little player.
While De Gea had nothing to do first half, that would change at the start of the second as Wolves found new energy and pounded towards the South Bank.
The introduction of Adama Traore certainly made a difference.
It was a foul on him by Harry Maguire that gave Wolves a free kick in the 54th minute.
Joao Moutino swung it in and Raul Jimenez flick header hit the inside of the far post and bounced away of De Gea’s arm.
A minute later Wolves had their goal and what a goal.
Moutinho played a short corner to Diogo Jota who returned it and the pull back to the edge of the area found Ruben Navas.
A quick touch, a look up and execution that even De Gea could not reach as it went into the top corner off the underside of the bar.
But wait! VAR had denied Wolves a goal against Leicester on the opening weekend and it was called into action again.
The question was whether Moutinho was offside when Neves returned the ball to him? Was there a hand hanging over that blue line. There wasn’t and the celebrations could start again.
United had to dig deep now with the momentum having swung and so they did winning a 68th minute penalty when Pogba went over Conor Coady’s outstretched leg.
But jubilation amongst the travelling ranks would soon turn to despair.
