WOLVES 3, MAN UNITED 4
Teenager Kobbie Mainoo spared Manchester United’s blushes with a 97th minute winner at Wolves in what will be a contender for the Premier League’s match of the season.
Wolves, second best for much of the night, were 3-1 behind and seemingly down and out in the 85th minute.
But Gary O’Neil’s side displayed a never-say-die spirit to draw level in the fifth of nine added minutes.
That was to prove a test of United’s mettle and how they responded with 18-year-old Mainoo netting the winner with his first Premier League goal only days after netting his first senior goal in the FA Cup win at Newport County.
Earlier United had played some terrific attacking football with Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund and Scott McTominey scoring as United have now won on each of their last four visits to Molineux.
United, who had won only one of their previous six league games and scored only one goal in their previous four away league games, climbed to seventh.
And the four goals were a stark contrast to having previously scored only nine times on their league travels, the joint second lowest total.
United also extended their unbeaten run of league games in February to 23 – they were last beaten in the league in this month in 2018.
Manager Erik ten Hag saw good and bad in United’s display, saying it was a great game for the neutral: “Let’s start with the positives. We played very good and dominated for one hour and should have been 3-0 or 4-0 ahead.
Embed from Getty Images“At the end we were naïve how we conceded goals, and should have done better, but we showed resilience and scored a special goal.”
Ten Hag lavished praise on matchwinner Mainee who came through the academy ranks.
He said: “He is making incredible progress. He is great ability and is the modern midfield player who can attack and defend and has physicality to do both ways.
“He is progressing from game to game. I hope he stays calm as he did with the goal. He is determined and a good character and hopefully he will continue that.”
Ten Hag was not surprised how United’s levels dropped after an hour, pointing out it was logical,as some players are not 100 per cent fit.
O’Neil said: “I was proud of what they produced. Effort, quality, togetherness. Bundles of it. Disappointed with some of it.
“First half got away from us and didn’t stick with what we were trying to do. Second half I think we were great, and we dominated. Just a couple of details really.
“The corner goal is disappointing and then to concede from the throw-in at the end, that’s not how we defend from a throw-in.
“We look a really good side at times, and we just need to keep trying to improve and we don’t have long to dust ourselves down for the next one.”
Rashford, whose off-field exploits have made unwelcome headlines, started for United.
He missed the cup win at Newport County after it was reported last week that he had been seen in nightspots in Northern Ireland on Wednesday and Thursday before arriving to training unwell on Friday.
Ten Hag said he considered the “case closed” as Rashford has “taken responsibility” and named the England international in his starting line-up.
Andre Onana also started for United following his return from the Africa Cup of Nations after Cameroon were eliminated.
Wolves were unchanged from the side which started the FA Cup win at West Brom on Sunday.
It was a dream start for the Reds and Rashford who put United ahead in the fifth minute to redeem himself for his misdemeanours.
And Rashford’s fifth goal of the season, and third in the last four games, was one of beauty as a neat build up ended with Hojlund laying off the ball to his teammate who bent a shot high into the net beyond the despairing dive of goalkeeper Jose Sa.
The night got even better for United who doubled their lead mid-half through Hojlund.
Another excellent build up ended with Luke Shaw delivering a low cross from the left by-line with Hojlund applying the decisive touch at the near post.
It was the Dane’s ninth goal of the season and his fourth in the last five games as he is producing his best move following his summer move.
United were on a roll as they had chances to build on their advantage.
Casemiro headed narrowly wide, Hojlund changed down Sa’s clearance only for the ball to ricochet the wrong side of the upright, Bruno Fernandes fired narrowly off target and Raphael Varane saw an effort dip just over the bar.
Hojlund and Casemiro both had the ball in the net twice shortly before the break but each time they were ruled out for marginal offsides.
There was a let off for the Reds shortly after the restart when Onana failed to claim a free kick and Max Kilman’s header was spectacularly cleared off the line by Lisandro Martinez. Wolves claimed a penalty saying Onana flattened Kilman.
United came close to a third when Hojlund jinked his way clear only to be denied by the legs of Sa.
Onana also made an important block with his head to deny Craig Dawson as Wolves were far more threatening in the second period.
Wolves were handed a lifeline when they halved the deficit in the 71st minute through Pablo Sarabia’s penalty, his second of the season, which was awarded for Casemiro’s foul on Pedro Neto.
The goal was followed by a double change from the Reds as Casemiro and Rashford were replaced by McTominay and Antony.
And little over 30 seconds later, McTominay had restored the two-goal lead with a downward header into the roof of the net from Bruno Fernandes’ corner, his seventh of the season.
Wolves grabbed a second with five minutes left when Craig Dawson headed on a corner and Kilman hooked a shot on the turn past Onana.
Ten Hag responded by withdrawing Hojlund and Martinez and introduced Harry Maguire and Omari Forson and then in the second of nine added minutes Alejandro Garnacho was replaced by Jonny Evans.
McTominay was denied by a huge block by Sa before Wolves made a break and stunned United by making it 3-3 when Neto cut back inside and fired low past Onana who was rooted to the spot.
United displayed resilience to hit back with a 97th minute winner from Mainoo who cut inside from the left and bent a delightful shot low to the left of Sa.