Manchester United defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 to keep their winning streak going in what was Julen Lopetegui’s home debut.
Marcus Rashford was benched by Erik ten Hag in favour of Alejandro Garnacho, which was an odd decision. However, the English striker proved his importance once again as he scored the lone goal of the match in the 76th minute.
Our three points from the entertaining encounter between the two sides are:
1. Erik ten Hag’s decisions are paying off
Earlier this season, United manager Erik ten Hag showed that he is not a man to mess with, as he handled Cristiano Ronaldo’s bombshell interview really well.
And by benching Marcus Rashford from his starting lineup here for what the manager stated before the game was an “internal disciplinary” matter, he emphasised his strict position against unprofessionalism.
Ten Hag didn’t provide specifics about the striker’s wrongdoing, and the fact that his 45-minute suspension was short means it wasn’t anything too significant, but Ten Hag’s message was still quite obvious.
Marcus Rashford confirms he was dropped because he overslept and missed a team meeting. [@RichFay] #mufc
— The United Stand (@UnitedStandMUFC) December 31, 2022
It was a risky move on Ten Hag’s part because of United’s lack of attacking depth, but it paid off because Rashford came off the bench to score the game-winning goal, which was the best possible response. Ten Hag also sent another strong message to his team as a result of his bold decision.
The Red Devils haven’t had a stricter coach than Ten Hag since Sir Alex Ferguson, and if he keeps up his current pace, the Dutchman could be the one to restore Old Trafford to its former glory.
2. The Wolves are still missing the bite under their new manager.
There were many encouraging aspects of today’s performances for Wolves, regardless of the outcome, and their Boxing Day victory against Everton was a fantastic start to Julen Lopetegui’s Wolves term.
In contrast to the majority of the dull football they frequently served up under Bruno Lage, the Wolves are already playing far more expansive, entertaining football, and Molineux supported their team all game long.
Ruben Neves’ spectacular 35-yard free kick apart, the hosts never really appeared to be in position to score. In the 45 minutes he spent on the field here, Diego Costa—who has yet to score for the club—didn’t seem like he would. Adama Traoré, who replaced him, managed to get the crowd up and moving, but he couldn’t muster any noteworthy contributions.
Although Wolves now produce little final output, they have a lot of technical quality. The league’s lowest scorers could use some goals, so Lopetegui will be hoping that Matheus Cunha, a new signing who watched this game from the stands, will get off to a quick start and contribute some much-needed ones.
In 17 Premier League games played this season, only 10 goals have been scored by the club—this is a worrying sign.
3. Luke Shaw rising to the occasion once again
After their fifth straight victory, United will be able to say goodbye to 2022 and look ahead to a prosperous future, making their New Year’s Eve celebrations just a little bit sweeter.
The three points they earned at Molineux put them in the top four, at least until tomorrow, despite the fact that not everything went their way.
Ten Hag’s choice to deploy Luke Shaw alongside Raphael Varane at centre back was another important selection call that paid off in addition to dropping Marcus Rashford. The full-back positions of Tyrell Malacia and Aaron Wan-Bissaka both performed admirably, while the left-back handled the majority of the challenges the Wolves threw at United’s defence well.
Aside from that, Casemiro is proving to be a brilliant signing with each game he plays, and the Brazilian midfielder gives his attacking teammates a strong base from which to operate. If United is to finish the season in the Champions League spots, it might be necessary to add another striker in January. However, if they can maintain their impressive trajectory, there is no reason to think that they will soon stop getting results.
Later this month, they will play Manchester City and Arsenal, and both games are expected to be interesting.
