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Manchester United overcame a stubborn Wolverhampton Wanderers side by a solitary goal in the 2021-22 Premier League, thanks to Mason Greenwood's late winner at the Molineux.
Wolves started the game brightly, and almost went ahead in the sixth minute when Francisco Trincao slalomed past Fred on the right flank. But his left-footed attempt was cleared off the line by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Manchester United struggled to get the ball into the Wolves box, failing to record a shot on target in the first half. Meanwhile, Adama Traore of Wolves was the best player for the first 30 minutes of the game, getting past United defenders with ease.
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Both teams had their shortcomings in the first 45 minutes, with United lacking creativity in the final third, while the hosts struggled for decisiveness in front of goal.
The game started on a similar note after the break as it had ended, with Wolves looking the better side going forward. Trincao had a decent outing, but Jadon Sancho, making his first United start, struggled to find his feet and had to be taken off in the 72nd minute.
It always seemed as though a goal was coming in the game. But it was Manchester United who drew first blood when Raphael Varane's pass found Greenwood on the right flank. He raced past the Wolves defence with a turn of pace before finding the back of the net with conviction.
Wolves could not find a way past David De Gea, and slumped to third from bottom, while United move to third in the league standings.
On that note, here's a look at the five talking points from the game.
#5 Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho make contrasting full debuts for Manchester United
Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho were both handed their full debuts by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer against Wolverhampton Wanderers. While Sancho made appearances from the bench in United's two previous games this season, it was the first for the French defender.
Wolves were dominant in the first half, which limited the opportunities Sancho had to display his skills. He failed to make much of an impact in the first 45 minutes, failing to record a single shot or make a key passes.
Varane, meanwhile, was solid on the ball and wasn't called into action much. He did pick up the assist for Greenwood's goal, so that could be a sign of things to come. Overall, it was good to see the two summer signings in the United starting XI, with better things expected from them in the season.
#4 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer marks 100th Premier League game for United with a historic win
After being the second-best team for large swathes in the game, Manchester United would be all smiles after recording their second win of the fledgeling campaign. The game had special significance for manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as it was his 100th Premier League game in charge of United.
He was not let down by his players, who ensured the landmark game ended in a win. With the victory, Manchester United have created the longest away unbeaten streak in English football history, going one better on their travels than Arsenal's tally of 27.
It was a great way to sign off before the international break. Coincidentally, this record is not just the longest in top-flight history, but also across all the four tiers of English football.
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#3 Wolves suffer a third straight narrow defeat
Wolverhampton Wanderers, hoping to avoid a third defeat in a row, started brightly, dominating Manchester United for large swathes. They had more shots on goal, but it was to no avail.
Eventually, they crashed to their third 1-0 defeat in a row, with the game turning out the same way as their last two outings. They had more shots on goal against Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur too, but couldn't manage the final touch in the box.
Wolves are now one of only two teams in the Premier League this season without a goal after three games, the other one being Arsenal. New manager Bruno Lage would expectedly be upset with his team, who seem to have learned nothing from their mistakes in the first two games of the season.
#2 David De Gea's point-blank save earns a huge win for Manchester United
Wolverhampton Wanderers had plenty of chances in the first half, and they continued to have more after the game resumed as well. In the 69th minute, the hosts had their best chance of the game.
Joao Moutinho delivered an inviting cross into the box from a corner, which was met well by defender Romain Saiss. Unfortunately, his header was straight at David De Gea, who got down in an instant to repel the effort.
On the rebound, Saiss's shot was also well by De Gea, whose quick-thinking and reflexes helped Manchester United keep their citadel intact. While De Gea was not called into action a lot in this game, he stepped up when it was required, which was key in the eventual outcome of the match.
#1 Mason Greenwood is the man in form at the moment
Mason Greenwood continued his fine start to the 2021-22 campaign as he scored for the third consecutive game. His 80th-minute winner was another fine strike, with the 19-year-old continuing his upward trajectory since last season.
The likes of Bruno Fernandes and Jadon Sancho were not up to the mark on the day. So the onus of scoring fell on the Manchester United academy product, who once again started as the lone striker.
Greenwood did not disappoint, scoring from his only shot on target. With three goals, he is now second in the scoring charts. It remains to be seen, though, how his role gets impacted by the arrival of Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo after the two-week international break.
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