Man Utd 4 Wolves 1

Wolves suffered a Champions League backlash from four-midable Manchester United today.

Two goals from Nani and Wayne Rooney in each half sealed a routine win for the champions, who were dumped out of Europe's premier competition after losing to Basle in midweek.

United's first two strikes came in the 17^th and 27th minutes, and both from just outside the box as Mick McCarthy's side were punished for not closing down quickly enough.

Wolves' man of the match Steven Fletcher headed one back in the 47^th minute to reduce the arrears.

But Nani tapped home nine minutes later to restore United's two-goal cushion and Rooney hooked home his second on 62.

McCarthy made two changes from the side that beat Sunderland 2-1 last week.

Back came Roger Johnson and Karl Henry for Jody Craddock and Stephen Hunt.

Wolves though started brightly and could have taken the lead after just 21 seconds when Fletcher lashed wide after a flowing move involving Jamie O'Hara and Kevin Doyle.

United gave notice of their intentions when Michael Carrick flashed a diving header inches over after eight minutes.

And keeper Wayne Hennessey was forced into a block to smother Rooney's angled effort after Henry gave away possession in midfield.

Seconds later, United took the lead following the resulting corner when Nani took possession on the left wing, cut inside across goal and took advantage of the space that opened up in front of him before lashing home a low shot from 20 yards.

Ten minutes later, it was 2-0 when the visitors failed to close down Rooney quick enough and the England striker punished Wolves with a low drive from similar distance to Nani, the sliding Henry just failing block.

McCarthy was forced to change things after just 32 minutes when he replaced the injured Dave Edwards with Nenad Milijas, which saw Doyle move to wide right and O'Hara move slightly further forward in support of Fletcher, now the lone striker in a 4-4-1-1 formation after they started with 4-4-2.

Edwards appeared to have hurt the top of his thigh or hip.

But it changed little, with Danny Welbeck going close to extending United's lead with a shot deflected wide just before the break.

Immediately following the restart, Fletcher gave Wolves brief hope when he climbed above Patrice Evra to meet Matt Jarvis' cross at the far post to head into the roof of the net.

Fletcher's sixth goal of the season continued his remarkable scoring record as it was his 12^th in his last 19 league games and 16^th in just 23 Premier League starts.

But it merely provoked United into moving up a gear, and within nine minutes Nani tapped home after a driving run from Phil Jones through the middle and cross from Antonia Valencia after Welbeck was foiled by Hennessey from point-blank range.

The Wolves keeper was in action again, to smother another point-blank effort, this time from Jonny Evans at the far post as United piled forward.

And Rooney hooked home a speculative fourth United goal from another right-wing cross on 62.

Wolves broke to produce a rare effort two minutes later when Fletcher forced David De Gea into a falling save.

With the game won, the match opened up and Wolves probably forced the more obvious chances late on.

O'Hara saw a weak shot held by De Gea, who then scrambled across goal to tip away Fletcher's far-post header.

Substitute Hunt, on as a 70^th-minute replacement for O'Hara, saw a powerful volley blocked from Stephen Ward's cross as the visitors continued to produce attacks from the left flank.

And winger Jarvis forced a falling save from De Gea with a curling shot.

But Wolves were well beaten by then and once again left Old Trafford empty-handed.