Wolves' Fans Verdict v Manchester United: We need to be taken seriously!

Chris Hughes

What's your verdict on the match?

Finally, a trip to Old Trafford ends without us heading home on the back of a defeat! Since a win and a draw in 1980 we'd had 8 fruitless visits to the 'Theatre of Dreams' including a 4-1 spanking on our most recent trip as we headed for the Premier League trap door. Any fans under 40 have been conditioned to expect nothing from trips to Manchester other than a Sunday morning hangover from a good drinking session in Deansgate or the Northern Quarter.

When a sumptuous lay-off from Paul Pogba was drilled into the bottom corner by Fred on 18 minutes, we'd have been forgiven for thinking 'here we go again' but, up to that point, we'd looked the more dangerous side and were only level because of two good saves by De Gea from Raúl & Boly chances. Even after the goal we looked the side carrying more threat and United's only other chance of the half came when Fred smashed a free-kick toward the top corner and wheeled away ready to celebrate doubling his tally for the day only to see Rui Patricio make a wonderful save to push the ball away on the stroke of half-time.

We started the second half brightly and when Neves caught Pogba in possession on halfway we broke quickly and some great work by both Costa and Raúl ended with the ball worked to Moutinho on the edge of the box to curl a beauty into the top corner to level. It was a goal that's been coming for our bargain baller in the centre of the park as he'd been getting closer to scoring with efforts from similar range against Villarreal, Everton and Leicester in earlier games.

After the equaliser United took the initiative and got on top, lead by Pogba running the show in midfield, but a lack of cutting edge in the final third meant their only meaningful chance was a Fellaini header that Patricio saved. It was testament to the work of our BBC back three that we held United to snapshots from distance as they got a head or boot onto everything that was sent into the area with some outstanding defensive clearances to preserve the point. There were even moments where we could have stolen the win following Adama's introduction. He wasn't given long on the pitch but managed to get a couple of efforts on goal and one wayward shot that was closer to the away fans that the back of the net!

Overall it was a satisfying trip North and we were good value for the point we returned (some of us merrily on the Piccadilly-New Street trains) home with.

Who played well – and who didn't impress?

There's a reason we've been unchanged through 6 games so far and it's because the team are working fantastically well as a unit. There has been the odd drop in standards for periods of games but overall the 11 have done terrifically and are well-deserving of the praise being bestowed upon them by much of the press and media. There were 4 or 5 players who you could've picked out as our Man of the Match again yesterday. Neves continued to display his passing range but also his tenacity, highlighted when he hunted a dithering Pogba to win the ball in the build up to the goal. Raúl lead the line superbly again and had excellent support from Costa, who excelled. The back 3 were immense again, with Bennett continuing to defy pre-season expectations that he wouldn't be able to make the step up to the top flight.

Adam Virgo

What's your verdict on the match?

Who would have dreamt whilst we were playing in League One that in 4-5 years time we’d have the likes of Joao Moutinho and Rui Patricio lining up for us at Old Trafford. Not only that but to get a fully deserved point and maybe on another day, we could have sneaked a win.

Every player, Nuno and the coaching staff deserve so much credit because to play how we do with such intensity over 90+ minutes is incredible. Most teams below the top 6 would sit back at Old Trafford and that’s understandable but we took the game to them and cut them open at times.

We could have taken the lead in the first half if it weren’t for some top goalkeeping by the second best keeper in the world in David De Gea, with Rui Patricio obviously being the best. In all seriousness though, both goalkeepers had good games and kept their respective teams in it when called upon.

A draw at half time would have been fair as both teams had a couple of good opportunities and that save from Patricio at the end of the half was absolutely outstanding. He’s made some world class saves already this season and that was huge because going 2-0 down at Old Trafford would have been pretty much game over.

I’ll give credit to Fred for the goal, it was on his weaker foot and he finished well but then came along Joao Moutinho who took it up another level with an even better goal, also on his weak foot which he couldn’t have placed any better if he tried. £5m for him was an absolute steal and we must have geniuses behind the scenes to have got him so cheap.

It’s amazing that we’ve got a manager in Nuno that plays to win every game, there’s no sitting back and playing for a draw, we’re always looking to be on the front foot and create chances. I think we’ll cause the rest of the top 6 problems whether it be home or away and the praise we’re receiving from pundits and opposition fans is so pleasing to see.

Who played well – and who didn't impress?

I feel like it’s still a dream that we have Joao Moutinho and Rui Patricio playing for us, it just doesn’t feel real that we have players of such calibre pulling on the Wolves shirt every game.

Moutinho is an unreal footballer and his partnership with Ruben Neves is truly special, they complement each other beautifully and both competed very well against a strong United midfield worth over £150m. Moutinho’s goal was an absolute delight, it was always going to take something outstanding to beat De Gea from outside the box and the Portuguese midfielder delivered that.

Rui Patricio has played a big part for us this season and having a top goalkeeper in the Premier League is important because every team will create chances. He could do very little about Fred’s goal, he took it well but his save from the Brazilian’s free kick just before half time was a game changing moment in some sense. He also made a couple of other important saves in the second half.

Helder Costa keeps getting better and better, a key reason as to why Traore can’t get a start in the league at the moment. Whenever Costa was running at Lindelof, he looked scared for his life and he played an important part for the goal.

Defensively solid once again, we kept Lukaku at bay and he only had one chance all game which he was offside for. Coady, Boly and Bennett are all improving game by game and having the same team/defence is key to success as having that relationship on the pitch helps massively. For all their attacking talent in Martial, Sanchez, Lingard, Mata and Lukaku, we created the better chances and we looked stronger defensively than they did.

Jonny and Doherty both had good games once again, Sanchez and Lingard barely got a sniff all game and going forward, we got in down the wings quite a lot. Doherty keeps improving after a slow start and I’m sure Martin O’Neill is now wondering why he chooses Cyrus Christie over Doc for the Republic of Ireland.

Jimenez had another good game, he’s continuously getting chances and receiving the ball in the box is what we need. He was a bit unlucky with his chance in the first half, he was on the turn and crowded so it was difficult to take. I thought the chance had gone for the goal when he passed it to Moutinho as I like many others expected him to shoot but thankfully it paid off. Full of running and hard work once again though, must be an absolute nightmare for defenders to play against him.

Jota had an average first half but he improved massively in the second. He’s at his best when he’s running at people with the ball and when he did that in the second half, United were finding it difficult to deal with him.

Russ Evers

What's your verdict on the match?

So the last four games have yielded eight points despite away games at arguably the worlds biggest club, the premier leagues biggest spenders and home games against the champions and a team who qualified for Europe. Not bad eh ? Today it was almost.a case of two points dropped as we matched and at times outplayed Man U in the supposed theatre of dreams. Two superb goals but we deserved a little more.

Who played well – and who didn't impress?

Everyone played their part with the defence outstanding and Moutinho outshine Pogba who was easily their best player. Looking good ay it

Natalie Wood

What's your verdict on the match?

Man united away was one of the first fixtures I looked for when the fixtures came out but never did I imagine we would go there almost expecting to get something from the game!

From kick off we showed we were not scared of Man United and we really took the game to them, getting the ball forward as often as possible. We had a few really good chances created by Moutinho and we very nearly went ahead through Boly but De Gea was there.

After that Man United did start to control the game, trying to peg us back quite a lot and showing what they could do going forward. But even with all the pressure United out on I think what came out of that spell was the strength of our defence. We were organised and strong at the back and even with all the pressure United rarely actually looked like scoring. Because of this it was really deflating when united managed to get one in the back of the net. It did show the biggest difference between wolves and the more established teams-confidence in front of goal. From my memory it was their first real shot of the game and they scored.

Thankfully Patricio stepped up right at the end of the half to keep it 1-0 after a good save from one of Uniteds millions of free kicks on the edge of the box! I think if United had scored a second they would have gone on and won the game but keeping it 1-0 at the break gave us a real chance.

Second half we started just as we did in the first half. We ran at them with confidence, constantly winning the ball back and get forward as often as possible. Even with the slightly biased referring shown throughout the game (!) we maintained our game plan and remained focused on an equaliser. We finally got our reward for all our hard work through a perfect Moutinho curling shot- great goal!

It was then great to see that we continued to push for a win, taking risks and continuing to get forward. For the first time this season we started to see the confident Jota we are used to seeing! He got himself into some great positions and actually took a few shots!

The last 10 minutes of the game Man Utd really started to turn the screw and we rarely left our own half but we battled well and remained (mostly)strong at the back with some superb last ditch defence from Boly and Bennett in particular. We did manage to wriggle free on a couple of occasions to release Traore who created 2 really good chances- one forced a good save from De Gea and one quite wild shot in the last moments of the game but as that final whistle went it really felt like a deserved point- we matched united in every area and really showed we are a team to be taken seriously!

Who played well – and who didn't impress?

Reflecting on the game I honestly can’t pick on any negatives, yes our decisiveness in front of goal still needs improvement but you can see already we are getting there. It was by far the best team performance of the season so far. We left Old Trafford knowing we matched one of the biggest teams in the country and at times out played them. Every player worked their socks off and not a single one looked out of place. The more difficult thing to reflect on is who played the best! Man of the match yesterday could really go to any player but a couple of real stand out performances for me would be Jimenez, Moutinho and Neves. I’ve been unsure on Jimenez since he joined wolves but he really impressed me yesterday. He was quick and created some good opportunities- he also ran his socks off, getting involved in play all over the pitch. I still don’t think he is going to be the goal machine we will need but I think he definitely has a role to play. As always our midfield maestros ran the show in the centre of the park. Neves was constantly winning the ball back and gave United a schooling in how to pass the ball. Moutinho really excelled yesterday,aside from scoring a worldie he also created many of our serious chances. The Moutinho and Neves partnership is really starting to blossom now and I think will be key in our success this season.

Coming away from Old Trafford with a point would be a dream for many newly promoted teams and it was a point very well deserved! We went there and matched united player for player and looked like a well established team. The determination and positivity in our play was just fantastic to see, we really showed we can easily match these top teams....maybe a top 10 finish isn’t that far out of our reach!

Rob Cartwright

What's your verdict on the match?

The season that keeps on giving. Another great away day where we took the game to the opposition from the off. Indeed, Neves made an accurate 50 yard pass to Doherty’s feet after just a couple of minutes.

Gone are the days where we showed too much respect for the opposition, or worried about their key players. Wolves treat every game the same and have matched their opponents in each game so far. What’s more, the players are improving with each game and are right to fear nobody.

Wolves were well on top at Old Trafford for the first 18 minutes. We created the first 3 scoring chances with a smart turn and shot from Jimenez, followed by headers from Bennett and Boly. Bennett should have done better really and Boly’s header produced a good save by De Gea.

We do need to be more clinical, as these things are punished more often in Premier League. We have already seen Everton & Leicester score against the run of play. You can now add Man Utd to this as Fred scored with a long range effort. Their first attempt, after 18 minutes. I wondered if Patricio should have covered his post better, but he more than made up for that later with excellent saves from a Fred free kick and Lingard late in the game.

The goal did set us back but we played our way back into the game with Costa, Jota and Jimenez excellent causing havoc across the Man Utd back line. Neves and the majestical Moutinho were tenacious in always getting to the loose ball before a red shirt. We were 1-0 down but still going toe-to-toe with them which literally silenced the home fans.

Otto and Doherty were pushing forward at every opportunity and we were getting plenty of balls into their box.

The equaliser was special. Costa showed strength to reach the bye line despite a heavy challenge, from Shaw. He crossed to Jimenez who layed the ball back to Moutinho who glided the ball past De Gea from the edge of the box.

The noise from the away corner increased by a few decibels and this continued right until the end, as both teams went for victory.

Wolves were closer to getting a winner. Traore had chance to pass to Gibbs-White in the last minute, who had a clear sight on goal but took it himself and fired wide. To be fair to him, he had run the length of the pitch with the ball, to get to that position.

Who played well – and who didn't impress?

Again, it’s hard to pick fault. The celebrations at the end of the game are born more from a sense of pride in our team, rather than the result. I was disappointed not to win. I expected us to win; but was entirely happy with our performance.

There were no shirked tackles; no one backed out of a challenge; no one got dragged out of position. There were a couple of stray passes, but that was all.

My Man of the Match goes to Moutinho, closely followed by Doherty and Costa.

Last word to Mourinho -

“They started better, were more aggressive, had more intent and I don't know why but they were more motivated.

Nuno knows why!

Clive Smith

What's your verdict on the match?

A promoted team away to a top six side is usually all about damage limitation. Not today however with an open game ending in a deserved draw.

For much of the game Wolves were below their best. Forced at times into a 5-4-1 formation we had to be resolute in defence. Thankfully we were and had some standout performances there.

We started on the front foot and in the opening fifteen minutes looked the better team. De Gea twice stopped us from scoring while Bennett headed over when well placed.

It was disappointing to then go a goal behind at the first sign of danger. Fred was not closed down quickly enough and his shot put them one up.

Our confidence then seemed to take a knock. We were rushed in possession and gave the ball away too easily as United pressed us quickly. Their passing spread the play and that was when we retreated into our defensive formation. A second goal would surely have killed the game so it was a relief to not concede again.

With Pogba wearing what looked like two bars of soap on his feet, he fell over so much, there was a constant stream of free kicks going against us. Sanchez showed a liking for the lush green turf too. The ref was a real homer.

That meant the ball was in our half far too often and protecting our box was the priority.

The second half soon saw a well crafted goal from Wolves. Not for the first time Costa got to the byline. His body was virtually parallel to the floor when he pulled his cross back to Jimenez who fed Moutinho to shoot into the roof of the net for another magic moment in the away end.

Wolves then started to have their best period of the game. All our front three were looking threatening in possession but we lacked a strong accurate shot to get a second.

Two United subs tried to unlock our defence but the barrage of crosses that continued until the final whistle were dealt with superbly by Coady and Bennett in particular. Boly did his share too while others got in blocks and tackles just in time.

When we managed to clear the ball without panic our counter attacks kept the United defence honest. Our front three had run themselves into the ground however. Jimenez being the unlucky one who had to stay and do a full shift. He looked the most exhausted as he fell to the ground at the final whistle. Nuno must surely rest all eleven of them on Tuesday.

It may be called the Theatre of Dreams but aside from the away end it lacks the passion and emotion of a football hotbed. A round of applause is more likely than a spontaneous raucous chant while the half and half scarves are sadly an epidemic there.

It was so important to do well without the ball today. We did, impressively, and Nuno looked delighted at the end in such a contrast to the glum one.

Who played well – and who didn't impress?

Patricio had to make a couple of decent saves, one being the last touch of the first half. His kicking was below par, wasting a few kicks.

A restrained Doherty was needed to defend more than ever. He did well.

Otto did manage to get forward at times but it left space behind him when we lost the ball. It was good when he could support Jota but that was a high risk strategy. He always got a challenge in, but winning a far post header against Fellaini would always be beyond him.

You have to love the way Bennett plays. Nothing flash, gold and black hair would look out of place on him. He was so dependable though. Headers, tackles, he did everything you wanted from a defender.

Likewise Coady. A uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time. His progress over fifteen months under Nuno has been nothing short of outstanding. MOTM.

As with the other two central defenders Boly looked unhurried and unruffled. No time to dwell in possession he did try and recycle the ball whenever possible.

Neves had a hard job on his hands. Wanting to be our playmaker he found it hard even to get on the ball at times. When he had chances he looked calm and assured, but at other times their midfield looked too quick for him.

Moutinho too had to buzz around in midfield to try and protect our defence. An extra body just outside our box he was able to help tackle and turnover the ball before attempts on our goal could be made.

Costa played well. His cross for the goal was like a cross he did early on to set Jimenez up.

His form earns him a starting place. A proper winger with neat feet, he would be more dangerous if he could get the ball further advanced and infield.

Jota just ran and ran and ran, often with no support close by. A tremendous energy level. His confidence is gradually growing but too often he ran into dead ends against two or three defenders.

Jimenez continues to lead the line well and had another good game. He had his back to goal more than in any other game and was quickly out numbered when he posed a threat. Trying to bring others into play on counter attacks was difficult because he was often a long way from another white shirt.

From the bench Saiss came on for Moutinho to defend and tackle tirelessly. Spending all of his time assisting on the edge of our box.

Traore offered little tackling help to our over worked defence but on three occasions he broke away on the counter. One shot forced a save out of the keeper. His focus was absolute, with no hint of a pass or heading for the corner flag.

Gibbs-White again got the nod from Nuno for the final few minutes, but had little time on the ball.