Mata silences Wolves but Rashford injury is concern
MANCHESTER United earned safe passage to the FA Cup fourth round, having finally found a way past Wolves after 157 goalless minutes, but the fitness of Marcus Rashford was their main concern at the end of the night.
With a trip to Anfield coming on Sunday, the plan was to rest Rashford for this third round replay. United’s stand-out player of the season to date was pictured carrying a device designed to heal small bone fractures this week.
The last thing Solskjaer wanted was to aggravate any minor injury or for Rashford suffer a new one, but United’s top scorer lasted just 15 minutes after being introduced as a second-half substitute and left the pitch clutching at his back.
Rashford’s introduction had helped break the deadlock. He intelligently let the ball run in a flowing United counter-attack which ended with Juan Mata settling this tie. United will now play either Tranmere Rovers or Watford away at the end of this month.
But a Wembley final in this competition feels a long way away at the moment. The Premier League and achieving a top-four finish is the priority and, though Liverpool look imperious, United are still the only team to take points from them this season. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is hopeful of frustrating the league leaders again but Rashford — scorer against Liverpool at Old Trafford earlier this season — is a key part of his counter-attacking game plan.
Their hopes of reaching the fourth round did not appear high early on, when Nuno Espirito Santo’s visitors had the better of the opening stages. Pedro Neto was particularly unfortunate to see an early goal ruled out.
Some abominable United defending was reprieved by the abomination that is the new handball law. Deep inside his own half and for no apparent reason, Fred attempted to play the ball ten yards by smashing it into Nemanja Matic’s shins.
The rebound created a 50-50 inside United’s penalty area between Raul Jimenez and Harry Maguire. Jimenez won the challenge but as the ball had bounced off his hand in the process, meaning Neto’s composed finish counted for nothing.
No side has suffered more VAR overturns than Wolves in the Premier League this season, meaning it was no surprise to hear claims that “it’s not football anymore” from the travelling support.
It was the only notable incident of a first half that began with promise and faded. It was clear from the drab three-quarters of an hour which followed that this replay was an inconvenience for both sides.
Solskjaer reluctantly sent for Rashford, replacing Mason Greenwood. It was a decision he would come to regret, but it did help bring about the breakthrough. The move began near United’s own byline with Maguire neatly working his way out of a tight space. Rashford let the centre-half ’s lofted pass run for Martial, who did well to out-muscle and turn Conor Coady and slip a ball in behind. Mata was marginally onside.
Now going on 32-years-old, the Spaniard has never been the quickest over medium distances but stayed ahead of Wolves’ retreating defence long enough to dink the ball over Ruddy.
But not long after, Rashford was on the turf in a heap after a forceful challenge by Matt Doherty.
Clutching his back, it was clear he could not continue and the substitute was substituted. His introduction had helped United progress, but at what cost?