Manchester United vs Wolves LIVE: Premier League result and reaction as Raphael Varane scores winner
Man Utd 1-0 Wolves: Raphael Varane’s header sees the hosts claim all three points despite a spirited performance from Wolves
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Manchester United got their 2023/24 Premier League campaign off to a winning start despite a poor performance at Old Trafford against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The visitors were the better side for most of the game with Matheus Nunes and Matheus Cunha finding lots of joy with runs through midfield but the midlands side lacked quality in front of goal. Debutant Andre Onana impressed for the hosts and made a number of saves in the second half to keep them ahead.
But, it was Raphael Varane who provided the difference. Jadon Sancho won a corner that was initially cleared. Varane stayed up the pitch and when Bruno Fernandes chipped it back into the box he was on hand to meet Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s pass and head home the winner.
Relive the action as Manchester United host Wolves in the Premier League:
Andre Onana takes centre-stage in more than one way with Man United flattered by victory
For Manchester United, the bare minimum was to make a better start to this season than last and the bare minimum was what they delivered. The least convincing of 1-0 wins required a goal from centre-back Raphael Varane when their midfielders and forwards rarely looked like scoring and when United often looked like conceding.
They were spared by Wolves’ toothlessness as they scraped their way past a team widely tipped for relegation and whose manager had walked out last week. Even that is an improvement on 12 months ago, when Erik ten Hag’s reign began with a home defeat to Brighton and a 4-0 thrashing at Brentford, but this was a different kind of false start to a campaign.
Even the clean sheet for the debutant Andre Onana was partly an indictment, of both his defence and the officials. The £43m goalkeeper somehow avoided conceding an injury-time penalty for clattering into the substitute Sasa Kalajdzic. He had already made two smart saves in as many minutes from another replacement, Fabio Silva.
The problem was that he needed to.
Onana takes centre-stage in more than one way as Man United fall flat
Man United 1-0 Wolves: Raphael Varane scores the only goal but the visitors were denied what looked a sure-fire late penalty
Karen Carney on the penalty shout
Speaking on Monday Night Football pundit Karen Carney said: “I think he’s [Gary O’Neil] right to feel aggrieved. Onana comes out committed, I think he takes his eye off it at the last minute, but he takes out the player.
“He just clatters him... it’s a penalty, no?”
FT Man Utd 1-0 Wolves
Wolves are without a win in nine Premier League away games (D2 L7) while they have lost each of their five, their longest top-flight losing streak on the road since a run of six between September and December 2011.
Since the start of 2020-21, they have failed to score in 45 Premier League games, more than any other side.
More from Erik ten Hag who spoke to Sky Sports saying:
“I think we matched the runs, the clean sheet tells that. We played organised but now we have to be better on the ball.
“We gave the ball away too easily. But we got a clean sheet and three points.
“At half-time the message was to be more calm, composed, get more switches in. Get in between the lines more, which we did and caused problems. When they broke we had to match the runs [from the strikers], and you lose that control.
“The creativity was not so good because we gave the ball away too easily.
“It is difficult [the VAR penalty decision]. The keeper was brave to come out to meet the ball. The ball was touched before Andre [Onana] dived in, so he did not influence the touch [attempt] from the Wolves player.
“The VAR checked it and said no penalty.”
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag gave his post-match thoughts to BBC Sport:
“It can be better. We can play better. But we’re very pleased with the win. The opposition were dynamic. We have to match that. We had to fight for our points.
“There is no easy game in the Premier League and definitely not Wolves. They’re a tough team and we did really well. You have to fight in every game.
“We hope we’ll be better on the ball in the next game.”
“He [Onana] had very good saves, was very calm, very good debut. After the opponent touched the ball he dived in so it was the judgement of the officials and lucky for us no penalty. I think you can debate it but I think no penalty.”
FT Man Utd 1-0 Wolves
Aaron Wan-Bissaka ended a run of 40 Premier League appearances for Manchester United with a goal involvement, since another assist against Liverpool in May 2021.
Onana becomes fifth African goalkeeper in the Premier League
Manchester United’s Cameroonian Andre Onana became just the fifth African goalkeeper to appear in the Premier League - after Bruce Grobbelaar (Zimbabwe), Richard Kingson (Ghana), Carl Ikeme (Nigeria) and Edouard Mendy (Senegal).
He certainly made headlines on his debut.
‘VAR is pathetic’: Jeff Stelling and the best reactions to Andre Onana penalty incident against Wolves
Manchester United earned a victory at Old Trafford as they hosted Wolves for their opening Premier League match of the season. Raphael Varane headed the hosts ahead in the second half to earn Erik ten Hag’s men all three points but things could have been very different if a VAR decision had gone against the hosts.
Wolves, who were the more dominant side on the night, had a penalty shout late in stoppage time. Pedro Neto swung a cross in from the right wing and targeted the back post. Manchester United’s goalkeeper, Andre Onana, came off his line to claim the ball but arrived late.
He missed it and cleaned out Wolves substitute Sasa Kalajdzic in the process with the pair clashing heads as Kalajdzic crumpled to the deck.
‘VAR is pathetic’: Stelling and the best reactions to Onana penalty incident
Wolves had a penalty shout turned down in stoppage time after a potential foul from Manchester United’s goalkeeper
Here are the thoughts of United’s matchwinner Raphael Varane
He told BBC Sport: “Very happy. It was a tough game against a very good team. It’s a good start to the season, three points, clean sheet.
“It’s a good start for him [Andre Onana]. We need time to build that connection on the pitch which is normal. He’s a very good player so he’ll help the team this season.
“The team spirit is already good but we want to improve. We want to be tough and hard to beat. We have to be connected on the pitch and aggressive. We did well. We can improve with the ball, more control, more calm.”
Man Utd captain Bruno Fernandes speaking to Sky Sports:
“It was important to start with a win and three points. We had a great fighting spirit, not the best performance but we had to find a way to win the game.
“We scored the only goal in the game and that was the most important thing.
“Wolves have quality, a good team. With their new manager they played differently, more like Bournemouth did last season. On the way to press we did well to recover some balls but could have done better.
“They did many different things, the manager gave us options but on the pitch you need to find a way to figure out what the opponent is doing and adapt. They were really dangerous on the counter. For us it was not the perfect game but we got the win.
“Rapha [Varane] was there, we don’t normally train with him in the box [in open play] but he was there and he scored. We were really happy for that.
“Again, it was really important to start wth a win, it gives you confidence for the next one. Now it is about getting rest and training well for the next one.”
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