Today’s relative silence across social and mainstream media is brought to you by a welcome three points for Manchester United at Molineux Stadium.
A brace from Bruno Fernandes, either side of strikes from Bryan Mbeumo and Mason Mount, sealed a comfortable 4-1 win against a poor Wolves outfit.
The result moves Ruben Amorim’s men to sixth in the table, level with media darling Chelsea and a solitary point outside the Champions League places after 15 fixtures.
Furthermore, despite a continuous barrage of sensationalism, the Reds are now unbeaten in three consecutive Premier League games ahead of Monday’s Old Trafford tie against Bournemouth.
But did we witness a vintage United performance in the Black Country? No, we did not. Still, were there enough signs of encouragement to suggest this group is moving in the right direction? Yes, I believe there was.
Momentum is a glorious thing, and Manchester United are building plenty since the end of September
United enjoyed almost complete control against Rob Edwards’ team, dominating possession throughout and creating an abundance of opportunities that should have closed the contest at halftime.
Inevitably, a lack of clinical finishing and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s first-half injury-time equaliser were always going to stir the expected pot of doom, given Wolves’ inability to score throughout November.
But a back-three of Noussair Mazraoui, Ayden Heaven and Luke Shaw is sorely lacking the experience and defensive prowess of Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire.
Individually, the trio are good players, but their strengths are seen when complementing a veteran central defender.
Regardless of the opposition, who have registered goals against Chelsea, Brighton, Spurs and Everton this season, a natural vulnerability existed before a ball was kicked.
Should that take away from what was a routine performance, bursting with attacking transitions and enough chance-creation to score a dozen?
| Match statistics via SofaScore | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Manchester United |
| Possession | 37% | 63% |
| Passes | 294 | 541 |
| Total shots | 8 | 27 |
| Big chances | 1 | 8 |
| Goalkeeper saves | 4 | 1 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 0.41 | 4.24 |
Again, I’m not stating that what we witnessed was Portuguese perfection; there are obvious issues within this squad for this system.
But the only factor that this football club should be judged on daily is form, whether good or bad. That applies to any team.
Amorim has endured a horrid start to life in the North West, and his win ratio of 39.66% from 58 fixtures is a harrowing reminder. Nonetheless, his group has improved in recent months and is amongst the very best in England since October.
That is not picking and choosing, as some will attempt to convince you; this is how form works – it is the passage of time reflecting a team’s recent results.
Say what you will about the soft underbelly within this squad in surrendering a winning position, the overall figures do not lie.
| Premier League since October | Wins | Draws | Losses | Points |
| Manchester City | 7 | 0 | 2 | 21 |
| Arsenal | 6 | 2 | 1 | 20 |
| Manchester United | 5 | 3 | 1 | 18 |
| Chelsea | 5 | 2 | 2 | 17 |
| Spurs | 3 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
| Liverpool | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
We must remember that the vast majority of this squad endured a 15th-place finish and a catastrophic showing in a Europa League final last campaign.
Don’t get me wrong, Ruben must shoulder plenty of the blame for that. Without question.
But even with the addition of our summer recruits, the 40-year-old has only begun weaving his web.
Regardless, our Ineos hierarchy has openly stated the former Sporting man has their collective backing, and several transfer windows are needed to move pieces towards Project 150.
Jumping onto Twitter after his side concedes a goal to call for his sacking is about as beneficial as running face-first into a wall. Their silence is truly deafening now, and that should tell you all you need to know.
There was a time when the United fanbase joined as one to fight off the endless agendas of everybody else.
Maybe, just maybe, it would benefit the dressing room to see this surface once more, folks.
How are you feeling following a deserved three points against Wolves? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on our social channels.
Photo by operations@newsimages.co.uk via depositphotos.com.
Recent Posts
- The forgotten slow start to a glorious Manchester United campaign
- Manchester United officials retain confidence in Project 150 strategy
- Manchester United Supporters’ Club retain desire for change of ownership
