(Manchester United-Wolves 0-1) Wolves-bauta João Moutinho (35) inflicted the first loss as Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær heir Ralf Rangnick (63).
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In the ninth game after Solskjær was fired as United coach, Moutinho took a touch outside the penalty area with eight minutes left on the clock. With the next touch, the Wolverhampton player narrowed the ball down to the far corner, while Rangnick despaired on the sideline.
The defeat means that United remains in 7th place in the Premier League – a full 22 points behind leading Manchester City.
– The performance was as disappointing as the result. We did not play well at all. We are very disappointed, says Rangnick in an interview shown on TV 2.
United’s German manager believes the team at all technically, tactically, individually and collectively. And it’s hard to disagree with him.
Lost deservedly
Wolverhampton were clearly the best especially in the first 45 minutes of the match. The guests won the chance statistics 15-4. They also had the ball the most.
– It is startling that Wolverhampton come to Old Trafford and have more ball possession than a United who want to be a top team, said Sandviken’s success coach Alexander Straus during TV 2’s break broadcast.
– On all parameters, Wolverhampton is the best team, said TV 2 expert Erik Thorstvedt.
Wolves crawl all the way up the back of United – three points behind in 8th place.
– Scoring and victory here against a good team and an excellent coach … It is fantastic for us. I think we controlled everything. They only created one chance. I think we deserved the victory, says goal scorer Moutinho.
– It is not good. It really is not, former United player Gary Neville states on Twitter about the red shirts’ performance.
1 of 3Photo: PAUL ELLIS / AFP
Stor Fernandes-Bom
Bruno Fernandes (27) was benched from the start, but the star player entered the field half an hour before the end. Just a few minutes later, Fernandes United got his biggest chance of the match. After a post from Nemanja Matic (33), the midfielder was able to finish unpressurized eight meters from goal.
Old Trafford’s home crowd got ready to let go of the cheers, but a few hundredths later they saw the ball hit the crossbar instead of the net.
Eight minutes before the end, the boom became decisive. Phil Jones (29) started his first game for Manchester United in two years, and was among the team’s best, but the stopper was unlucky with a clearance that landed at Moutinho. The Portuguese’s quality arranged the rest, and three points to Wolverhampton.
– We abused our chances to score. We have to admit that they deserved to win, says Rangnick.
– What do you think about the way you pushed tonight?
– We did not push at all. We did not succeed, admits the United manager, who is known as the originator of “Counterpressing”.
Manchester United’s next match is the FA Cup settlement at home against Aston Villa in a week.
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