Man United 2 Wolv3s 1: Bill Howell's Match Report

Dec 11 2011 by Bill Howell, Sunday Mercury

MICK McCarthy was content with his side’s display at Old Trafford despite Nani and Wayne Rooney sending his Wolves side to a comprehensive defeat.

Steven Fletcher nodded the visitors back into the game at the beginning of the second half but United were always too sharp around the final third and waltzed to victory with a further two goals.

“Yes I was happy today. We played 4-4-2 against a team that were better than us, and are better than us and have got better players than us and are a bigger club than us,” McCarthy said after the final whistle.

The Premier League champions were simply too good for Wolves.

There may be a joke doing the texting rounds that they are only good enough for Thursdays and Channel number 5, but on their day that’s good enough for most.

Wolves were reasonable throughout at Old Trafford. They enjoyed the lion’s share of it for 20 minutes towards the end – but by then the game was well and truly over.

A sixth away league defeat in eight matches leaves the men in gold just three points clear of the relegation zone.

Wayne Rooney and Nani both scored twice as United gave the perfect response to their surprise Champions League exit in Switzerland.

Nani cut inside from the left and blasted the opener for United into the corner before Rooney made it 2-0 with a neat low drive from the edge of the penalty area.

Fletcher simply cannot stop scoring and gave Wolves a lifeline with a header just after half-time.

But any hope of a comeback for the visitors was quickly quashed.

United responded with Antonio Valencia setting up Nani for a tap-in and then crossed for Rooney to rifle home a fourth goal.

Wolves arrived in the north west looking to build on their fine win over Sunderland last weekend but United were just too good.