Wolves 0 Manchester United 5: High five for Reds... but Fergie wants more

By Neil Moxley
PUBLISHED: 15:22 GMT, 18 March 2012 | UPDATED: 21:18 GMT, 18 March 2012

Sir Alex Ferguson described this as little more than an adequate performance.
If that assessment is correct, then the scoreline should send shockwaves all the way back to the Etihad Stadium.
Was it really just two weeks ago that Manchester United travelled to Tottenham for a fixture that, if they were beaten, was supposed to put rivals Manchester City in the driving seat for the Barclays Premier League title?
Didn't they do Wel! United trounced Wolves to move clear at the top of the table
Didn't they do Wel! United trounced Wolves to move clear at the top of the table

Match facts

Wolverhampton: Hennessey, Zubar, Stearman, Bassong, Ward, Foley, Edwards, Davis, Jarvis, Doyle, Fletcher.
Subs: De Vries, Kightly, Ebanks-Blake, Hunt, Johnson, Berra, Jonsson.
Sent off: Zubar.
Man United: De Gea, Rafael Da Silva, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Welbeck, Hernandez, Rooney.
Subs: Amos, Giggs, Smalling, Park, Young, Fabio Da Silva, Pogba.
Booked: Welbeck.
Goals: Evans 21; Valencia 41; Welbeck 43; Hernandez 56, 61.
Attendance: 27,494
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Since then the champions have rattled in 10 goals and conceded one. They are four points clear and an eight-goal deficit in goal difference has been chopped by more than half.
Taking 25 points from 27 is an ominous statistic. If it is repeated over the final nine games this season, the destination of the title will once more make uncomfortable reading for the blue half of Manchester. And on Merseyside, come to think of it.
Five-goal victories away from home normally equate to managerial utopia. Not here. Not against opponents like Wolves, reduced to 10 men for an hour thanks to Ronald Zubar’s senseless first-half dismissal.
Ferguson was spot-on in his post-match musings. ‘It was OK,’ he said, ‘I don’t think it was anything special. I mean, I think we have taken our goals well, but it was an OK performance.
‘In the last three visits here we have lost twice and won once with a late Paul Scholes goal, so this is a tremendous turnaround because we have seen this as a difficult match.’
That may have been so under Mick McCarthy. But Terry Connor’s succession has seen cracks widen, with just two goals scored and 14 conceded, Wolves are now bottom.
There’s a stench of relegation about the place, but it is not yet an overwhelming one. Victory next week at Norwich could even see them leap out of the bottom three.
Red alert: Wolves were down to 10 men in the 40th minute after Zubar was sent off
Red alert: Wolves were down to 10 men in the 40th minute after Zubar was sent off
Does owner Steve Morgan stick with Connor or risk more ridicule, exacerbating an already messy situation, by bringing in someone new?
Embarrassment was on the cards on Sunday. Wolves’ frailties were obvious when United scored from a 21st-minute corner.
Wayne Rooney delivered to the far post, Michael Carrick had peeled away from his marker and sidefooted into the six-yard box. Jonny Evans couldn’t have wished for a clearer opportunity to score his first league goal and he gleefully thumped home.
Good Evans! The United defender bagged the visitor's first goal of the afternoon
Good Evans! The United defender bagged the visitor's first goal of the afternoon

One of those days: Wolves' goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey let in five
One of those days: Wolves' goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey let in five

Two minutes later, Zubar went in late on Rooney, who did well to ride the challenge. Referee Anthony Taylor brought out the yellow card and was forced to do likewise when the defender upended Danny Welbeck moments later. The red had to follow and the game effectively ended after a Wolves’ corner just before the interval.
United broke, Antonio Valencia’s pace exposed Wolves substitute Eggert Jonsson was exposed following a delicious Rooney ball, and the south American simply kept going until he was faced with keeper Wayne Hennessey, ending his 40-yard run by slamming the ball into the net.
Evans then found Valencia with an exquisite crossfield pass in first-half injury time and the ball was pulled back for Welbeck to add the third.
Double your money: United screamed upfield on the counter attack and Valencia fired home the second
Double your money: United screamed upfield on the counter attack and Valencia fired home the second

Double your money: United screamed upfield on the counter attack and Valencia fired home the second
Double your money: United screamed upfield on the counter attack and Valencia fired home the second
Gary Neville tweeted that the first of his followers to guess what was being said in the visiting dressing room would have their thoughts re-aired by him. It took one sage a matter of seconds to send the message: ‘Go for goals.’
Goals were on the mind in the home ranks too. ‘The last thing we wanted was to get hammered six, seven, eight,’ said Connor.
After the hosts’ first-half display, it was a distinct possibility but, as it was, Wolves showed enough gumption to restrict them to two more. The first came from a short corner which Wolves failed to close down. Rafael swung over a cross and Javier Hernandez, unmarked, deftly headed the ball past Hennessey.
Rout: Hernandez bagged two second-half goals to extend United's lead
Rout: Hernandez bagged two second-half goals to extend United's lead

Rout: Hernandez bagged two second-half goals to extend United's lead
The Mexican scored again moments later. Welbeck’s neat flick returned the ball to Valencia and Hernandez timed his run perfectly to hammer the cross into the roof of the net.
With 30 minutes still to play, the home crowd feared the worst.
Wolves fans have almost run out of targets. Until now it has been McCarthy, owner Morgan and chief executive Jez Moxey who have borne the brunt.They can’t really turn on Connor, nor the players who at least gave it a shot.
Brace yourself: Hernandez scores the first of his goals and celebrates (below)
Brace yourself: Hernandez scores the first of his goals and celebrates (below)

Ferguson added: ‘Credit to Wolves. They kept plugging away. They are an honest team. It gives them a chance. They are down at the bottom but in a group of five teams.
‘They have great support. It is a terrific stadium. They are a great club. The Premier League needs Wolves.’
But what of the picture at the top? ‘They (Manchester City) have a really big game on Wednesday,’ he said. ‘It will be really interesting. We have to keep whittling them down. Eventually the games will run out. Hopefully, by then, we will have achieved what we want.’
Brace yourself: Hernandez scores the first of his goals and celebrates (below)

Praying for Muamba: Players and fans shared a spell of applause in support of the Bolton defender
Praying for Muamba: Players and fans shared a spell of applause in support of the Bolton defender


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Wulves...............Oh dear, dear, deary me ...........a very average pub team masquerading as a championship side trying to play premiership football. Things will be kinder at the Custard Bowl next season when the Wulves are very publically required to step down a league where they belong.
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Peter Smythe.... So, who's this Basil chap that Bayern beat up? I hope he's ok...
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Feel sorry for wolves it is those upstairs that are to blame for sacking mick and not getting a replacement they will have to try and do something sharpish or else its curtain time and as for united all we have to do is stay on track until we destroy city on april 30th and then the title is ours once more
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Only one negative.Why didn't they score more goals? Main positive,Tony Valencia,he would walk into any side in Europe. Let's hope he stays fit.
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Viva la Blues!, London,UK, 18/3/2012 17:31 its not arrogance its the truth, for alot of teams playing Manchester United is a big deal
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Cheers United for doing us (QPR) a favour. We can't keel relying on other teams though, we need to start winning some games!
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"That's what i call an inferiority complex, everything you do is driven by the records we set, always in our shadow!" - I'm not the one who comes out with pathetic conspiracy and other such drivel everytime Man Utd win a match. All you keep going on about is history because that's all your club has to hang onto (that and a Carling Cup).
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"the mancs have been a poor side for many years especially if you look across europe" - 3 Champions League finals in 4 years suggests otherwise.
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Which excuse will the ABUs use this time: 1. The referee won it for Man Utd (inspite of the red card being the correct decision and Man Utd not being given a penalty for a push on Hernandez) 2. Wolves rolled over (because they are normally brilliant of course) 3. The groundsman cut the grass to the perfect length for Man Utd 3. The size of Wolves' goal was secretly increase to make it easier for Man Utd to score 4. The wind conspired to perfectly catch the ball and take it into the Wolves net 5 times. 5. The size of Man Utd's goal was secretly reduced to make it harder to score past them. 6. the game was played on a hill with Wolves at the top and Man Utd at the bottom (with the earth being moved at half time to ensure Man Utd were still at the top of the hill). 6. Man Utd were the better side and deserved to win (haha yeah right). - Matt, Kent, 18/3/2012 15:57 That's what i call an inferiority complex, everything you do is driven by the records we set, always in our shadow!
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Wolves look like they are in deep shiit
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