Manchester United 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers: 5 Talking Points & Tactical analysis | Premier League 2019/20

Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineux Stadium on Monday night.

Ruben Neves’ spectacular equalizer and Paul Pogba’s penalty miss in the second half meant United failed to break their Molineux hoodoo at the third time of asking. Anthony Martial gave United the lead in the first half when he ruthlessly finished past Rui Patricio to score his 50th goal for the club. That lead was cancelled by Neves in the second half after which both teams couldn’t manage to break the deadlock before the final whistle.

United entered the game on the back of a resounding win against Chelsea and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made a solitary change to the team that faced the Blues by bringing in Daniel James in place of Andreas Pereira. Meanwhile, their opponents, Wolverhampton Wanderers fielded an unchanged side from their opening day draw against Leicester City.

Without further ado, let us delve into the talking points and tactical analysis from this game.

1. Compact Wolves prove hard to break down

Wolves were resilient and diligent in their approach

Wolves lined up in their usual 3-5-2 formation with Raul Jimenez spearheading the attack and Diogo Jota playing as the support striker. Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho, and Leander Dendoncker formed the midfield trio. Willy Boly, Conor Coady and Ryan Bennet played as the back three with Matt Doherty and Jonny in the wing-back spots. Rui Patricio started in goal.

The home team defended in a low block with minimal space to work within the midfield as their tenacious midfielders hurried the United players into surrendering possession. Then, theu would break away swiftly on the counter-attack using the pace of Jota and the strength and hold-up play of Jimenez.

Wolves disrupted United’s attack with sharp, quick pressing whenever they entered their half and retreated back to their shape when the ball was back in the opposite half. They were quite disciplined, stubborn and well-drilled in their methods, standing tall like an inexorable force threatening to stay shut for the entirety of the evening.

Their plan, however, was disrupted in the 27th min, when Anthony Martial fired home the opener after a decoy Shaw run pulled Coady away to open up space for the Frenchman. The No.9 made no mistake and gave United a vital lead after half an hour of football under the floodlights at Molineux.

2. Adama Traore makes an instant impact

Adama Traore was the difference-maker against United

In the search for an equalizer, Nuno Espirito Santo brought on the electric Adama Traore at half time to replace Doherty. The move was an effort to bring an extra attacking impetus using the pace and direct running of Traore. As evident against Chelsea, Marcus Rashford was instructed not to back-track and instead position himself in an attacking area of the pitch, so as to capitalize on the space vacated by the adventurous full-backs. This tactic worked a like a treat against the Londoners as Rashford exploited Cesar Azpilicueta's high positioning by getting in behind Chelsea’s defence to cause mayhem.

However, against a team that sets up deep, there is minimal space to take advantage of and with someone with the strength and trickery of Traore, the tactic completely backfired. Traore constantly isolated Shaw and went past him effortlessly on numerous occasions to create threatening situations and fashioned a few chances for his side.

It was Traore that won the free-kick for Jimenez’s header that struck the post and was later cleared for a corner which resulted in the goal. All said and done, it was a shrewd substitution by the manager and showcased Nuno’s tactical brilliance.

3. Anthony Martial revels in the number nine role

Anthony Martial

Antony Martial made it two in two in the Premier League and put in an impressive display in his preferred attacking position. Battling against the physical Wolves centre-backs, Martial held his own and caused plenty of problems to the defenders. His nimble feet and quick inter-changing with Rashford made lives difficult for his markers, as his constant movement and ability to turn and run at defenders makes him a scary prospect to face against. He also pressed well and worked hard for the team, an aspect of his game that he has improved under Solskjaer.

The dilemma facing Coady and co was whether to stick tight to Martial or drop back and allow him to drift wide and link up with the other attackers. If a centre-back pays close attention to Martial and stays on his heels, there always remains a risk that he could use his devastating acceleration to turn swiftly and leave his marker behind. And, when allowed time and space to combine with his teammates, a player with the talent and calibre of Martial can hurt the opposition when offered such luxury.

Until now, Martial has justified the faith placed in him by Solskjaer and his manager will be hoping for similar displays on a more consistent basis.

4. Can Wolves break into the top six?

Ruben Neves rescued a point for Wolves by scoring a mesmerizing goal in the second half

Since their promotion, Wolves have faced United on four occasions, including this game, defeating them twice and drawing two, and still remain unbeaten against them. Today, yet again, they went toe-to-toe with one of the biggest clubs in England and were unfazed and clear in their approach. All their players performed admirably and gave a glowing account of themselves.

Raul Jimenez especially was fantastic up-front and offered a focal point for his team. He tussled and battled hard, and came agonizingly close to scoring when his looping header struck the post. Neves and Moutinho controlled the midfield and did not give their adversaries an inch in the middle of the park. The former scored a scrumptious goal from the edge of the box and put in an all-round accomplished display. Wolves embellished their record against the bigger teams with this draw but will need to improve their performances against the teams from the bottom-half if they intend on making a serious push for a place in the top six.

5. What does this result mean for United?

Daniel James made his first start for United

Manchester United were by no means at their free-flowing best and didn’t turn up with the most eye-catching display, but, considering their dismal record against Wolves, a draw can be considered as a positive result. Add to that the fact that this ground is a tough place to get a good result and it seems like a decent outcome, albeit there still remains a lot of room for improvement for the Red Devils.

The fluidity in the attacking play is still lacking and better chance creation would be expected from a quality group of individuals. Defensively, they looked assured except the last half-an-hour in the game when their defending looked jittery on the counter-attack.

Rashford had a game to forget as his decision making constantly let him down while making his first start for the club, Daniel James looked promising and showcased persistence, drive and an eagerness to put in a shift for his team. However, his end-product in the final third was disappointing and needs to be worked on. Young Mason Greenwood made a late substitute appearance and will hope to play a bigger role in the upcoming fixtures.