Man Utd 0 Wolves 1: Yet another Premier League defeat – but at least youngsters impressed

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Manchester United’s season has long revolved around the Europa League and this defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers underlined it.

Head coach Ruben Amorim made a raft of changes to his starting XI for a game that ultimately meant little to the club’s campaign and the visitors made the most of it thanks to Pablo Sarabia’s brilliant free-kick winner.

We analyse the major talking points after yet another United loss.

How much does this defeat matter?

Yes and no.

It is United’s 15th league defeat of the season, which is the most they’ve had since the 1989-90 campaign, so it is another unwanted record for Amorim. When Vitor Pereira replaced Gary O’Neil as Wolves’ head coach in December, they were 13 points behind United in the league. Their win at Old Trafford, a fifth win in a row and United’s eighth league defeat at home, means they are now level on points with Amorim’s side.

Should Tottenham Hotspur beat Nottingham Forest on Monday night, then United will fall to 15th. It goes without saying that it is an unacceptable position for a club of United’s resources.

The reason the defeat doesn’t particularly matter, professional pride aside, is because Amorim made clear after United’s dramatic comeback win against Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday night that all their focus is on winning that competition.

Ruben Amorim contemplates another defeat (Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Amorim knows their only chance of qualifying for the Champions League is by winning the Europa League, and that is why he left rested several key players in the first half, only introducing Bruno Fernandes just before the hour mark.

It is obvious why United no longer need to focus on the league, but with five games remaining, there is a chance they could end up finishing 17th, which would be humiliating for a team of their size.

Dan Sheldon

Did United’s youngsters pass their big tests?

With Tyler Fredricson making his debut at centre-back and 18-year-old Harry Amass playing in front of him at wing-back, Manchester United’s left side had an unfamiliar and distinctly youthful feel to it.

It was a big day in particular for Fredricson, who got his opportunity after Amorim made a raft of changes to the team that dramatically triumphed against Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Aged 20, Fredricson is a boyhood United fan who grew up in south Manchester. Calm and composed in possession in the first half, he passed intelligently and, in a sign of his growing confidence, even set off on a mazy run at one point. Perhaps most impressive, though, was the way in which he relished the physical side of the game up against Jorgen Strand-Larsen and Marshall Munetsi.

Tyler Fredricson impressed for United *Carl Recine/Getty Images)

For Amass, who came on as substitute against Lyon on Thursday night and has played twice in the Premier League this season, this was another encouraging afternoon.

Positive with the ball – Amass put in a couple of lovely early crosses – he also defended well when one-on-one against the experienced Nelson Semedo, a duel early in the second half that ended with him making a sliding challenge, and emerging with the ball, typical of his desire and determination.

Harry Amass shepherds Nelson Semedo away from danger (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)

Stuart James

Hojlund labours again

It was another one of those days for Rasmus Hojlund and, unfortunately for the Dane, there have been far too many of them in a Manchester United shirt.

The sight of Chido Obi being summoned from the touchline with 20 minutes remaining was entirely predictable. Hojlund looked what he is – a player desperately lacking in confidence and crying out for a goal of any description.

There were a couple of passages of play in the second half that felt symptomatic of his United career so far. A lovely piece of skill on the touchline, close to the halfway line, saw Hojlund escape in the inside left channel, and for a moment you were lulled into thinking that this could be his moment. Instead, Hojlund never even managed to get a shot away, his total lack of conviction inviting Toti Gomes to dispossess him.

Another chance evades Rasmus Hojlund (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)

A few minutes later, Bruno Fernandes, Christian Eriksen and Alejandro Garnacho combined superbly on the left. Garnacho’s low cross skidded across the six-yard box and there was Hojlund, stretching every sinew, to get his boot on the end of a cross that somehow eluded him.

Old Trafford sighed and Hojlund threw his head back in a mixture of frustration and despair.

Stuart James

Cunha shows why he’s a wanted man

Matheus Cunha’s spent the part of the warm-up here dragging his hands along the Old Trafford turf and then rubbing them on the back of his legs.

It wasn’t entirely clear why. Was it superstition? Or, more mischievously, was the Wolves forward attempting to bond with the Manchester United grass before a potential summer move?

Matheus Cunha rubbing the Old Trafford turf onto his legs during the warm-up… #mufc #wwfc pic.twitter.com/WJWNSPreSB

— Nathan Salt (@NathSalt1) April 20, 2025

The Athletic has previously detailed how United are considering making a summer move for the Brazilian, who had a £62.5million release clause inserted into the Wolves contract he signed in January.

Cunha came into the match having scored seven goals in his last 10 games for Wolves and Brazil and he had a couple of nice touches in the first half at Old Trafford. There was a little pat on the back of his head from Amorim as they walked down the tunnel at half time but was mostly quiet in a half that had little attacking zeal.

But at the crucial moment, Cunha made the difference: it was his surging run that drew a foul from Christian Eriksen (and a booking) and gave Pablo Sarabia the perfect chance to launch an exquisite free-kick into the top corner.

Amorim wants more goals from his team, and Cunha has scored 14 in the Premier League this season, six more than Bruno Fernandes, United’s captain and top scorer in the league.

The 25-year-old has played better than he did here, but his ability to conjure a moment of magic only underlines why United, and many other top sides, have him on their radar.

Dan Sheldon

What next for United?

Sunday, April 27: Bournemouth (Away), Premier League, 2pm UK, 9am ET

(Top photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)

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