Ruben Amorim’s tactics fail again as Man United’s horror year ends in indignity

Man United 1-1 Wolves: United allowed Wolves to earn just a third point of their dismal Premier League season and were the inferior side for large stretches at Old Trafford

Man United were poor once again in a disappointing draw against Wolves (AP)

One last indignity in 2025. A year of many a low ended in familiar fashion. Just when Manchester United seemed to have taken a step forward, they contrived to take two back. Up against what could prove statistically the worst team in Premier League history, United were the inferior side for swathes of the game. The last sound at Old Trafford of the year was Wolves fans singing: “We’ve got a point.” It was just their third of the season but, despite arriving following an 11-match losing run, they may depart with regrets they did not record their first victory of a miserable campaign

For United, now with a lone win in their last five home games, it was both the result and the manner of it that jarred. “We struggled in all the game,” admitted boss Ruben Amorim. “The fluidity offensively wasn't there. We have lack of fluidity and then lack of quality and then a lack of creation of chances.”

Even United’s goal involved a hefty deflection. The closest they came to a legitimate winner was when Yerson Mosquera almost delivered a comical own goal. Not for the first time, their tactics failed.

Typically, they involved Amorim playing 3-4-3, reverting to his favourite formation after beating Newcastle with a back four. There were points when United could not get the ball back from Wolves and he had to switch to 3-5-2 at half-time, adding Jack Fletcher after Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte were outmanoeuvred.

Ruben Amorim faces plenty of questions at Man United (Manchester United via Getty Imag)

“We were struggling with their midfielders,” said Amorim. United lacked invention in midfield, without Bruno Fernandes, dynamism in attack and pressing on the pitch. Having played well without the ball against Newcastle, the challenge was to excel with it as favourites. United duly failed.

Wolves had a higher xG, more touches in the United box and ran further. They were configured better. United’s starting 11 cost £430m. They were dreadful. When they needed a winner, when the Stretford End chanted “attack”, Amorim instead made another centre-back substitution. There were boos when Ayden Heaven was removed.

Even before then, Wolves had sensed the unease in the United crowd. “We talked about that at half-time,” said Rob Edwards. And, amid United’s inadequacies, there was plenty to savour in the likeable Edwards earning his first point as Wolves manager. “It is nice to take something,” he said. “I do feel it is the least we deserved. It is progress.” Wolves had come close to a draw away at Arsenal and Liverpool. This time they got their reward.

There could be no excuses for United, not even as Mason Mount took their list of absentees to eight. Wolves were similarly depleted by injuries, suspension and the African Cup of Nations and forced into a late rejig when Santiago Bueno was ruled out at lunchtime. In any case, Mount was replaced by United’s scorer.

Indeed, Joshua Zirkzee was involved in two goals; perhaps it was too much for United to ask that they would score both. It was a sign of how poor the Dutchman was that, despite scoring, he was still hauled off at half-time

Joshua Zirkzee celebrated scoring his first home league goal for more than year (AP)

But Man United still ended the day disappointed (AP)

Zirkzee’s goal was his first at Old Trafford in the Premier League in over a year. His strikes have been such rarities that it was understandable he celebrated when a seemingly harmless effort went in.

Suffice to say it will not win goal of the season. Zirkzee lost the ball once, got it back and his shot took such a sizeable deflection off Ladislav Krejci that Jose Sa was left diving in the wrong direction. But Zirkzee, seventh in line for a place in United’s front three, had inadvertently helped Wolves to equalise before he went off.

United still have not kept consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League under Amorim. Wolves’ equaliser illustrated why. As Amorim noted, they have a tall team, but still conceded to a set-piece. Krejci looped a header in after Zirkzee had flicked Hugo Bueno’s corner on to him. It was a moment of redemption for the Wolves defender.

Another almost restored United’s lead. There was a brilliant save from Sa: but from a teammate. The Portuguese had to claw the ball off the line when Mosquera headed it past the goalkeeper. Mosquera was an eccentric presence and Edwards explained: “I just said to him, ‘you are mad, you are’.”

Though that madness could have produced a Wolves winner as the goalkeeper required to excel was Senne Lammens. He made a terrific double save deny Krejci a second and then stop Mosquera from scoring the rebound. He had prevented Hugo Bueno from equalising before the break. Later on, he dived to his left to prevent Jhon Arias from scoring a winner. United could be grateful to the Belgian.

Senne Lammens made some crucial saves in the United goal (REUTERS)

Their efforts at the other end were intermittent. Benjamin Sesko at least had a series of attempts and headed Luke Shaw’s corner against the post, though perhaps he should have scored. His drought now spans eights games.

Patrick Dorgu was twice close to a second goal in as many games, first with a shot that was just deflected wide and then when he converted the rebound after Sesko’s 90th-minute shot was parried, but he was offside. It could have been another cruel ending for Wolves. Instead, they could celebrate their best result of the season.

The league table nevertheless remains depressing. “We are better than three points but the reality is that it is what we are on,” said Edwards. And United were not good enough to get three points against them.