New signing Bruno Fernandes couldn't start his Manchester United career with a win as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Wolves at Old Trafford.
This was the sixth fixture between the two in under a year and as so often happens between two teams who know each other inside out, that led to a largely cagey encounter.
Fernandes showed promise on his debut with some extra quality and vision in the middle of the pitch, but that was matched by the excellent Portuguese duo in the opposition midfield in the shape of Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves.
Neither side really wanted to come out of their shell for most of the game, and it was only in the closing stages that either could well have pinched the win, but that would have been cruel on the other as they were well-matched on the day.
That is also illustrated in the fact they remain locked together on 35 points in sixth and seventh in the table.
It was a stand-off in the first half as two teams better as counter-punchers than full-on attackers looked to try and tempt the other out into the open and exploit any space in behind.
That led to neither team really wanting to throw the first heavy punch and they exchanged jabs in the form of neat and tidy passing moves but just lacking the final ball.
Fernandes had the perfect chance to make a dream start midway through the first half when the ball fell nicely to him just outside the box in a central area, but although he connected sweetly his effort went straight at Rui Patricio.
Again in the second half there was a decent amount of nice build-up play but no real threat as Fernandes had two shots from range that tested Patricio, the second of which the keeper almost fumbled into his own net.
Diogo Jota produced a remarkable dribble through the United defence but couldn’t find a finish, while Raul Jimenez forced David De Gea into a smart save at his near post in a rare break in behind the home defence.
Harry Maguire had a late chance to win it for United, while substitutes Daniel Podence and Diogo Dalot could've given three points to their respective teams, but in the end a draw was the right result.
Manchester United 0-0 Wolves Opta stats
- Manchester United have failed to score in three consecutive league games for the first time since October 2016.
- Manchester United have failed to score in back-to-back home league games for the first time since March 2014.
- Wolves are now winless in their last 12 away games against Man Utd in all competitions (D3 L9), and haven’t led for a single minute in any of those games since a 1-0 win in February 1980.
- Wolves are the first team to keep a Premier League clean sheet away against both Manchester clubs in a season since Chelsea in 2013-14.
- This was Wolves’ first 0-0 draw in the Premier League since the opening weekend against Leicester, while it was just their third in total in 63 Premier League games under Nuno Espírito Santo.
- Debutant Bruno Fernandes had more shots (5), more shots on target (3) and made more passes (88) than any other Manchester United player in this match.
- Eight Portuguese players made an appearance in Man Utd vs Wolves, making Portugal just the third nation outside the UK to have 8+ players appear in a Premier League match, after France and Spain.
MAN UTD 0-0 WOLVES - AS IT HAPPENED
📋 Saturday's results 📋
(Click on the link for individual stats)
FT MAN UTD 0-0 WOLVES
Honours even, and thats about right in a game that could have gone either way but in truth a point each was the right result.
94 - SO CLOSE!
Substitute Dalot almost wins it with a stooping header at the back post that just goes inches wide as United almost pinch it right at the death.
88 - CHANCE UNITED
Maguire has a great chance at the back post after a free kick found its way through but he bobled his effort from the right hand side of the six-yard box and the ball was dunbled behind for a corner.
85 - WOLVES FINISHING STRONG
The visitors just looking to try and pinch this now as they force a couple of corners and Jimenez wastes what looked a glorious chance but the flag was up for offside anyway. Tense closing few minutes coming up.
79 - SAISS SITTER!
It's a free header six yards out from a free kick but Saiss gets it all wrong, getting right underneath it and nodding the ball high over the bar.
77 - ALMOST IN!
United almost go ahead via a double deflection from a Mason Greenwood shoft from distance, but the second rebound actually helps guide it back towards Patricio who was otherwise stranded. It may take something like that to split these two the way it's going.
73 - TRAORE OFF
Traore's race is run for today, and he eventually comes off after a lengthy delay to be replaced by new signing Daniel Podence.
64 - NUNO BOOKED
Wolves boss Nuno gets a yellow card for an angry outburst on the sidelines - that's the way of the world now and it's his second booking fo the season, wonder if he can get a suspension for five?
60 - CHANCE!
It's coming... Wan-Bissaka's clever flick leaves Mata with a shooting opportunity but his low worm-burner whistles just wide of Patricio's left-hand post. Not sure if the keeper had that covered at first glance either.
57 - GOOD HIT FERNANDES
There's definite promise in Fernandes going forward, especially on set pieces judging by a decent drive from 25 yards out that doesn't test Patricio too much but keeps him on his toes.
53 - WHAT A JOTA RUN!
From nowhere Jota turns into Maradona with an incredible run through the heart of the United defence. He's on his own but doesn't need help as he twists and tricks his way into the box but just stumbles at the last minute under pressure from Maguire and can't get any force into his finish. Best moment of the match by a mile.
51 - WOLVES CHANCE
There's plenty of Portuguese influence on this game and it's in the Wolves midfield with Moutinho and Neves who are supplying the only real quality. Moutinho almost gets Wolves in but again there's no cutting edge as Jota tries to be too clever.
49 - MORE OF THE SAME
It's a similar story at the start of the half with both teams playing within themsevles.
📊 FERNANDES IMPACT
⌚ SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
Who will flinch first? Let's find out...
📊 STATS
Man Utd v Wolves
- Possession %: 62-38
- Shots: 3-3
- Shots on target: 1-2
- Corners: 1-3
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⌚ HT MAN UTD 0-0 WOLVES
Neat and tidy but nothing really to get us out of our seats so far at Old Trafford - I could go into the boxing analogy again but you get my drift...
It's going to take that one moment of quality, or an error, to force a breakthrough second half but a goal would really liven us up. I think both sides know though that the first goal is crucial as they'd both rather play on the break it seems.
44 - 🚑 TRAORE DOWN
Harry Maguire is all over Traore, somehow no free kick is given and to make matters worse for Wolves Traore goes down with a shoulder injury, which looks a worry. He'll try and play on until half time.
39 CHANCE FERNANDES!
That was almost the dream debut for Fernandes as the ball drops nicely for him just inside the 'D' but although he strikes it really sweetly it's right doen the throat of Rui Patricio.
33 - CHANCE!
Traore whistles a shot just beyond the near post - that was travelling at some pace when it flew past De Gea. The Wolves winger seems as likely as anyone to make a breakthrough here.
29 - FERNANDES OFF TARGET
'What a waste of money' shout the Wolves fans as Fernandes floats a free kick way over the top of the on-rushing United players in what is his first chance to show his quality. He failed, but it's early days.
24 - WOLVES PROBE
Some decent football being played by both sides in the build-up, just the final ball missing so far. Wolves almost get some joy with a Raul Jimenez break, but again a good cross from Traore doesn't find anyone attacking it in the box.
19 - PUNCHED AWAY
A high looping header from a corner almost caught David De Gea out as he had to punch it away from under his own bar.
17 - HALF CHANCE
Andreas Pereira flashes a shot wide from the edge of thebix from the first real spell of Man Utd pressure.
12 - CAGEY
It's what you'd expect from two teams who've played so often in the last year as both sides are just feeling each other out, not wanting to make a lunge forward and leave themselves open at the back.
Inboxing terms they're both counter punchers so nobody wants to throw the first haymaker!
7 - FERNANDES WATCH
Bruno Fernandes operating in an advanced midfield role behind Martial, likely given the freedom to roam in and around the forwards to try and pick up the ball and make things happen.
5 - CHANCE!
Romain Saiss perhaps should have done better from the resulting corner as the ball bounces down for him to swivel and shoot, but he hoists it high over the bar.
4 - WOLVES PRESS
Adama Traore shows an early glimpse of his fantastic pace to get to the byline and whipe in a great cross but no Wolves forward is on etheir toes and it's put behind for a corner.
🕔 KICK-OFF!
We're underway at Old Trafford - and there's a lively atmosphere with no doubt the Bruno Fernandes arrival giving United fans a much-needed boost.
📋 FERNANDES STARTS!
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer isn't messing about and throws Bruno Fernandes straight into the starting XI for his debut.
🐺 BOLY BACK FOR WOLVES
Here's how Wolves line-up at Old Trafford.
📝 MATCH PREVIEW
If familiarity breeds contempt then these two will be sick of the sight of each other in this fourth meeting of the season and sixth in under 12 months. Man United won at Man City, but that only papered over the cracks and a well-rested Wolves can expose their obvious flaws at Old Trafford.
Wolves have been slow starters all season and in fact have the worst first half record in the Premier League but always seem to improve in the second 45 minutes - losing just one second half all season. If anyone needed a break after the Europa League efforts it was Wolves and Nuno's side have had over a week off to prepare for this.
Contrast that with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side giving it everything at the Etihad just on Wednesday and there's a distinct advantage for the visitors, who can also boast more quality throughout the side but especially with more guile in midfield and in Raul Jimenez have one of the best all-round strikers in the league.
This is a golden opportunity for Wolves to get their first Premier League win at Old Trafford.
Score prediction: Man Utd 1-2 Wolves (Sky Bet odds:11/1)
Best bet: Wolves to beat Man Utd at 23/10
📊 OPTA STATS
- Manchester United are unbeaten in 11 home games against Wolves in all competitions (W9 D2) since losing 0-1 in February 1980 in a top-flight match – they haven’t trailed for a single minute in all those 11 unbeaten games.
- Manchester United have lost their last two Premier League games without scoring – they’ve only ever lost three in a row without finding the net once before in the competition, doing so between April-May 2015 under Louis van Gaal.
- Wolves came from behind to win their last away game in the Premier League against Southampton – they last won consecutive away matches in the top-flight in August 2011.
- Manchester United’s record of 34 points after 24 games in 2019-20 is their worst total at this stage of a season since 1989-90 (25 points), when they went on to finish in 13th place in the top-flight.
- Wolves striker Raúl Jiménez has been directly involved in 20 goals in his last 22 appearances in all competitions, scoring 12 goals and assisting eight more.
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A huge Saturday of Premier League action concludes at Old Trafford as Wolves look for a first ever Premier League victort at the home of Manchester United. We'll starts just before kick-off but meanwhile we'll provide you with some top preview information.