6 duels, 5 final-third passes, 3 recoveries: Utd lacklustre, but one Red was 'everywhere' in first half vs Wolves
Yesterday at 02:18 PM
Manchester United are trailing 1-0 against Wolverhampton Wanderers, with only 25 minutes remaining to rescue something from a must-win affair.
18th-placed heading into tonight's clash, Wolves have played United off the park on their home turf and are now on course to seal only their fourth win of the 2024/2025 campaign.
Their quest was made easier when Bruno Fernandes saw red early in the second half; after picking up a yellow inside 20 minutes, the captain was then brandished his second card – and subsequent red – in the 47th minute, setting up the visitors for a shaky end to the Molineux contest.
That would indeed turn out to be the case. Wolves opened the scoring through Strand Larsen almost instantaneously after seeing the back of Fernandes before it was chalked off by VAR due to offside.
They wasted no time ruing the decision and instead had their tails up in search of a breakthrough against the flustered Red Devils. It eventually came through their talisman Matheus Cunha, whose Olimpico goal from the corner was all too reminiscent of Son Heung-min's injury-time finish in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.
Manuel Ugarte's notable first-half stats in United vs Wolves
Amidst such a lacklustre showing from Ruben Amorim's men, one Red was praised for his efforts in the first 45.
Manuel Ugarte had an 88 per cent passing accuracy, contested and won six duels, made five passes into the final third, won five tackles and made five recoveries, per StatmanDave, who claimed the Uruguayan was 'everywhere'.
He lasted 62 minutes, after which he was replaced by senior counterpart Casemiro to presumably steady the ship. Should United fail to complete a turnaround, they'll end matchweek 18 in 14th place, having just spent Christmas Day in the bottom half of the table for the first time in Premier League history.
United host Newcastle at Old Trafford next Monday before travelling to Anfield on Sunday, January 5.
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