Manchester United emerged victorious with a 4-3 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers in a riveting Premier League showdown at Molineux on Thursday.
This league. 😅#WOLMUN pic.twitter.com/u1sG4A8nHH
— Premier League (@premierleague) February 1, 2024
Marcus Rashford, returning to the starting lineup after being left out in the Cup win over Newport County, made an immediate impact by scoring the opening goal just five minutes into the game. Luke Shaw and Rashford combined to set up Rasmus Hojlund for the second goal in the 22nd minute, showcasing United’s dominance in the first half.
Despite having several goals disallowed for offside, including efforts from Hojlund and Casemiro, the game took a dramatic turn in the second half when Wolves were awarded a controversial penalty. Video replays suggested minimal contact as Pedro Neto went down under Casemiro’s challenge, who had been booked early in the match. However, VAR confirmed the penalty decision, and substitute Pablo Sarabia successfully converted it in the 71st minute.
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Scott McTominay, entering the game as a substitute, quickly restored United’s two-goal lead in the 75th minute. The match continued to thrill fans as Max Kilman narrowed the deficit in the 85th minute, setting the stage for a captivating finish. In stoppage time, Neto leveled the score, but Kobbie Mainoo, an 18-year-old sensation, sealed the win for United with a stunning effort in the 97th minute.
With this victory, Manchester United climbed to seventh place in the league standings with 35 points, while Wolverhampton Wanderers now occupy the 11th position with 29 points. United captain Bruno Fernandes commended Mainoo for his composed finish in the intense atmosphere. This exhilarating triumph adds another chapter to United’s season and further solidifies their position in the Premier League standings.
“It is a dream come true,” Mainoo told broadcaster TNT after netting his first Premier League goal.
“It is a tough place to come. We had to get the win. I have still not come down from it, I still feel like I’m dreaming, to be honest. To start playing in the Premier League for my boyhood club has been amazing. Now it’s about trying to win more games.”
United captain Bruno Fernandes praised the 18-year-old Mainoo for his cool finish in the cauldron atmosphere.
“He is a big talent. I have seen him play for the Under-18s and I said a couple of years ago the name of Kobbie without knowing if he would come and play for the first team,” he told TNT.
A relieved Erik ten Hag called it a “massive” win for his side.
“I think we played very good and we dictated the game for an hour. We should have gone up 3-0 or 4-0. We didn’t and in the end it’s quite naive, the way we concede the goals,” he said.
“It shouldn’t happen, but then we showed great resilience, especially Kobbie Mainoo, it was a great goal,” the Dutch manager added.
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