Manchester United ended a difficult week on a high with a powerful performance against Wolves at Old Trafford.
The Reds suffered a Champions League exit and the loss of skipper Nemanja Vidic for the rest of the season on Wednesday but rediscovered some of their early season form against Mick McCarthy's men.
Nani and Wayne Rooney scored two goals apiece - Steven Fletcher grabbed Wolves' consolation - and it could have been more as United reduced City's gap at the top of the Premier League to two points. City travel to Chelsea on Monday night.
Reaction
It was no surprise that the week's even brough a reaction from United, although Fletcher did fire a good chance wide after just 20 seconds.
A Wolves goal at that point would have really caused the home fans to sweat.
As it was, with Nani leading the way, United swiftly took command.
The Portugal winger was one of the few to excel in Basel and maintained that form.
He had already served notice of his intention to cause Wolves problems when he was allowed to drift his way across the penalty area, skipping past three defenders in the process.
Nani then cut a shot back beyond Wayne Hennessey's right-hand that found the bottom corner.
The celebration was a mixture of relief and defiance.
What happened on Wednesday is going to take more than one goal, one performance and one win to put right but the process of putting together those shattered pieces had begun.
It was Nani's first Premier League goal since September 24, a week after Rooney had last found the net in league combat.
Promise
That effort, against Chelsea, came at a time when United's season was so full of promise.
It is a measure of the disappointments since that when Rooney collected Nani's pass and found the same corner his team-mate's shot had nestled in earlier, it broke a sequence of seven league games when United had scored just a single goal.
Yet, in keeping with the hosts' recent difficulties, they handed Wolves a lifeline within 90 seconds of the restart when Fletcher peeled off onto Patrice Evra, then rose above the diminutive Frenchman to power home Matt Jarvis' excellent far-post cross.
For a few minutes, United were struggling as Jarvis tormented Chris Smalling.
But when Phil Jones set Antonio Valencia away, the South American's low cross was tucked home by Nani from close range.
Now United's conviction returned.
Hennessey bundled Jonny Evans' header round the post and twice denied Danny Welbeck.
In between, Valencia, one of those to struggle for form this season, picked out Rooney with another right wing cross.
Though not in the greatest position, the bounce was kind and Rooney managed to get his body in the right position to send his shot flying into the Wolves goal.
Boss Sir Alex Ferguson felt sufficiently emboldened to hand Ezekiel Fryers his Premier League debut, although it took some smart reactions from Rio Ferdinand, upon whom so much is now expected with Vidic out for the season, to prevent United ending up in trouble after the England man's clearing header had smacked Smalling in the face.
United should have wrapped things up six minutes from time but Roger Johnson was allowed to clear Jones' cross as substitute Federico Macheda slid in.
What is your verdict on the action? Have your say.
Manchester United 4 Wolves 1
December 10, 2011
Comments
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Basel was our wake-up call.
The Nani-Welbeck-Valencia axis, if it stays fit, is clicking well
Jones, Carrick Rooney in M/F it is for me. Jones is buccaneering, precision from Mickey, and the running and the skill from Wayne
This is our best squad for my money
Jonny—super game; Vidic being injured will give him games and get him back to two seasons ago when he had a clean sheet run with Wes Brown
Any of Valencia, The Jones, Nani, or Wayne could be man of the match for thank you very much! Wayne has his mojo back, Welbeck—was really putting himself about wasn’t he? What an ovation for the boy! Now THIS is Manchester United I saw today!
Bit concerned about De Gea. He has no aerial command, he stays rooted to the spot as the shot comes. Maybe he prefers to be a shotstopper, but he makes me nervous every a cross comes in. Lindegaard is a better keeper than De Gea in that area, probably overall. Jarvis really had Smalling on the racks all afternoon, his crosses gave us serious problems. Needs to work on that. Interestingly, perhaps to his credit, didn’t want to and never fouled him and avoided conceding a free kick in a dangerous area. Ferdinand is back to his very best.
AND we’re rebuilding; second half line up-- • De Gea, Fryers, Ferdinand, Evans, Smalling, The Jones, Carrick, Kiko, Young, Valencia, Wayne. Very very young squad. And another full, very noisy house at the TOD. All the songs, not a single one of them discordant. Great Club!!!!
Fantastic play from United today, Rooney coming back, Valencia too, and Fergie should play more Welbeck instead of Chicharito, half the job done, leaving the rest to Chelsea.
In all honesty we should of scored 6 or 7.
Soft goal to concede we really are poor in the air without the Serbian and that needs addressing.
Stand out performance though, a complete battering, MOTM for me either Rooney / Nani / Carrick or Valencia just take your pick.
Weve had signs of regaining form for the last few weeks ignore the Basel game what happened happened and the Carling Cup exit was a complete B Team with plenty of players who are going to be sold more than likely, looking forward to us kicking on in January when Hernandez, Cleverly and the Twins are off the operation table.
Out attitude was spot on. Roll on United. We are Manchester United, that's what we do.
Good performance today, nice goals and Nani bloody hell he's good isn't he? lol
Good performance by Ferdinand..
Phil Jones - almost like watching Keane at his best. MOTM performance.
That was more like it! Good to see Nani and Valencia finding form. Carrick was majestic, Evans had a great game, as did Jones. Rooney should had had five! An all-round great performance, with the exception maybe of Smalling, who spent most of the game in Jarvis' pocket. Two points behind City now - I can't believe I'll actually be rooting for Chelsea on Monday... As posted elsewhere, things are not as bleak as many of the miseries on here claim: the fact is that, despite not playing that well of late, we have five more points in the Premier League than we did at this stage last season. We have also scored more goals and conceded less. It's a shame that we are out of the CL - but we don't have a God-given right to be there. It has been an odd season - we started like a train, but we've been terribly unlucky with injuries. It will all come good. The truth is, we were never going to win the CL this year - I'd be very happy if we win the league, and even happier if we add the FA Cup. And for those pathetic ingrates calling for Sir Alex's head - why don't you go and support our nouveau riche neighbors? - you deserve each other.
Well done boys , the response of champions .
Thought Carrick was outstanding first half although his first misplaced pass on 35 mins was of course met with groans . Great to get Rooney and Nani back in the goals , massive responsibility on both their shoulders to get back to top form and start banging them in and special mention to Welbeck who never stopped all afternoon , showed some great touches and deserved to get on the score sheet . Jones too put another very credible performance in in CM .
Rilo
Exiled Droylsden Red
That's more like it!
Spirit and never say die attitude.
2 points behind City, who's facing Chelsea...
Maby an injury wrecked team can win the title a head of 900m of investments?
A bit more like our old selves but it was only Wolves. Still not convinced about De Gea and lots of room for other improvements but lets just be grateful to end a rotten week with a win - and no more injuries!!
Gordon
That's more like it!!!
That's more like it. A Chelsea win would liven things up!!!
That is more like it . Nani brilliant on the left and playing like a TEAM player . Valencia very effective and intellegent on the right . Carrick very organized . Ferdinanad playing with authority . Jones very powerful . I just wished Jones was playing at the back instead of Evans . At the moment a THREE man CD is suitable . Ferdinand , Smalling and Jones . Valencia and Evra wide of midfield . Carrick/Fletcher with Rooney in CM . Nani , Welbeck and Berbatov upfront . And Lindegaard replacing DeGea as No 1 .
apart from the goals am not impressed with the way rooney play, nani is defenately man of the match and valencia did ok today. i also believe we dont really need to buy because we have cleverly and anderson to add to the recent brilliant performance of carrick and jones.
That's it then ...........................................
The league's sewn up!
L O L !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great response today reds. Fast and powerful and look how much better we look for it. No more rotation Fergie.....Keep that team playing and the confidence will soon come back.
First of all, I want to thank every fan at Old Trafford today. These pages have given me the wrong impression that maybe even the core support has started moaning. How wrong was I?. I apologize for ever doubting you guys.
Next, I want to congratulate all the players on a fantastic performance. They showed real character and you could see on their faces that they have been hurting.
Like I did after the disappointing result mid-week, I will not go into the performances. I thought every one of the guys did us all proud. I will say this: I was impressed with Welbeck.
Interesting what the manager is trying to do with Macheda. He's come on in 3 consecutive games, even when we needed a goal. While some would say that this is because of the injury situation, I don't think that's it. I admit to being a bit sympathetic towards him; I want him to make it even though his performances since he first burst on the scene in such a dramatic fashion haven't been good.
Surely I can't be the only one who thinks that the midfield looks much better with Michael Carrick in it.
A nice way to heal some of the wounds.
ISDEP, sorry to borrow your signature, but I think it's relevant today.
UNITED TILL I DIE!!!
Thankfully an over optimistic Wolves team turned up at OT today. Some solid if not good performances from Nani, Tony V., Jones (as per usual), Evra, Smalling (even though Jarvis got the better of him on too many occasions), Welbeck (who I thought was MOTM), and Carrick - pity he was suspended midweek, cos he is the only midfielder we have who knows how to play in Europe (up to a certain point against the weaker teams that is).,,.. Looney apart from his goals was rubbish.
Utd need a real striker in the Ruud mould again to scare the opposition. Who? no idea. RM wont sell Benzema or Higuian. Pato would be welcome.
Hernandez is great around the goal, but his first touch and link up play is no where near as good as Welbeck's.
Time to let the fringe players go - Gibson, Diouf, Macheda - and promote some youngsters and add 3 new players - 2 midfielders and a striker of high quality!
A good game to begin the recovery, we did excectly what the doctor order with the exception of conceeding. We moved the ball well, Comanded in central midfield and used the wings to full effect. Rooney and Nani are scoring again lets hop it sticks and Rio had a good commanding game. I just hope we get more lithal with our chances and more mean with our defence. We still need a world class CM but this game should help build confidence and focus the players.
Side note: United have really missed Hernandez, I have no doubt in my mind that had he been present in Basel we would have one, Nani provided a lot of crosses that a poucher like Chicha would have surely got one or two. In today's game we had a lot of missed oppotunities with Welbeck and rooney making the same runs and not exploiting the space well enough, there are many times in that game I felt that if Chicha was in he could have atleast provided an intelligent run that would have created space for rooney and offer an outlet or attacking option better than what welbeck did. Welbeck played great though and improved with the game but We miss Chicha's probing darts
And I almost forgot: welcome to the Premier League, Ezekiel Fryers! May you have a long and successful United career, with bagloads of trophies.
Rooney might of scored 2 but he looked like he didn't want to be there!
Here on this site and through the land of pundits,The demise of Manchester United has been greatly exaggerated.
Well done way to go down to three points,i cant hear any berties as its squeeky bum time when chavki play them tomorrow,i can see city's first defeat ,title 20 is on the way.
What I saw,
flashes of the real Wayne, much much better show by Valencia and Nani. Great to have Welback on, JE did not make any huge errors, Carrick solid again, De Gae still makes me nervous and at long last a look at Fryers hooray!!
i'm sure somebody will post "ya so what only 4 against Wolves...". Anyone care to bet on who it will be? I've got 5 on danny although madoc (not from Canada) has a chance.
It hurts to type this but come on Chelsea does us a favour!!! (Gagging noises....).
Lastly, enjoy your day everyone,
r7