United survive without landing a shot on target
After such a demanding festive schedule, and with a two-leg Carabao Cup semi-final this month, this was the outcome Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must have been dreading.
Manchester United are still in the FA Cup, but the 12-times winners must fight it out with Nuno Espirito Santo’s team again after a desperately poor game which never threatened to match the drama of last season’s encounter in the competition.
United have not beaten Wolves in the past five meetings and now Solskjaer has a replay to add to a congested January fixture list, with eight games in the next 25 days.
Nuno, the Wolves head coach, insisted the tie should have been settled on the night by penalties and his team came closest to winning, but Matt Doherty had a goal correctly ruled out by the Video Assistant Referee, while substitute Raul Jimenez struck the crossbar late on.
Marcus Rashford, a United substitute, also hit the bar as his injury-ravaged side managed to secure a draw which looked beyond them when the team sheets were handed out. Indeed, this was the first time since January 2015 that United had failed to direct a single shot on target in a domestic league or cup game.
Solskjaer and Nuno must do it all over again at Old Trafford later this month, with the replay coming either side of United’s Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester City.
“That is the schedule and we have to accept it. I’m full of praise for the players with the way they cope with it,” said Solskjaer. “We have a break in February so we have to get through it. I don’t worry about it, it’s another game and we just have to train less.
“We do have enough games over the course of the season, but I’d rather be having a replay than going out of the competition.”
David Moyes was the last United manager to be knocked out at the thirdround stage and Solskjaer can ill afford to join him as he tries desperately to find some momentum.
With so many injuries, including his best two midfielders Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay, this will have felt like a small step forward. Recent visits to Molineux have been chastening experiences.
Wolves have an extra incentive to progress in the FA Cup this season. Last year they reached the semi-finals and were leading Watford 2-0 with 11 minutes left to play before suffering an agonising defeat in extra time.
Nuno had admitted it was a defeat which resulted in “a couple of days of grief – everybody involved felt that sadness”.
Their place in the last four had come via the win against United and here they started with intensity, utilising their pace on the flanks to attack Ashley Young and Brandon Williams.
Wolves were denied the lead in the 13th minute after a brilliant save from Sergio Romero.
Pedro Neto’s corner was flicked on by Leander Dendoncker to the unmarked Doherty at the far post and his volley brought a fine reflex stop from the United goalkeeper, who Solskjaer branded “brilliant” after the game.
United were devoid of invention, with forward Mason Greenwood the only player appearing capable of creating any nervy moments for the home defence. John Ruddy, the Wolves goalkeeper who was making a rare appearance, cannot have envisaged such a stress-free evening.
There was one scare for Wolves on the half-hour mark, however, when Williams was brought down in the penalty area by Dendoncker.
It appeared a clumsy challenge but not even a review by VAR could appease Solskjaer, who looked furious at the time but said he had “absolutely no complaints” after the game.
Wolves faded as an attacking force, with youngster Benny Ashley-Seal, who was making his first start, replaced by Mexico international Jimenez for the second half.
The presence of leading scorer Jimenez galvanised the home support and suddenly there were hopes the game would be transformed. Sadly it was not, although there were a few more chances.
Wolves briefly rediscovered their attacking impetus and Neto shot straight at Romero after manoeuvring his way into space.
For United, Juan Mata floated a 20yard free kick inches wide from the right, with Ruddy motionless as the ball arced slowly past the post.
Ruben Vinagre, the Wolves winger, summed up the poor quality on show with a horribly miscued volley after latching on to Harry Maguire’s tame headed clearance.
Solskjaer had to make changes and with 20 minutes remaining he introduced Rashford and Fred for Mata and Daniel James. Rashford almost made a devastating, immediate impact with his first touch.
Picking up the ball inside the area his shot took a huge deflection off Conor Coady to loop over Ruddy and come back off the crossbar.
But it was two Wolves substitutes, Joao Moutinho and Jonny Castro Otto, who thought they had made the dramatic contribution in the 77th minute.
Moutinho’s clever pass released Jonny down the left and his cross into the area was turned in by Doherty.
Molineux erupted, but the Republic of Ireland international had clearly had the final touch with his arm and VAR, not for the first time, left Wolves frustrated.
It did serve to lift Wolves for the final stages and Jimenez struck the underside of the bar with a thunderous effort from an outrageous angle.
Six minutes of added time gave Wolves hope but this was a tired performance in truth, with the packed Christmas schedule appearing finally to catch up with them.
After last year’s meeting in the FA Cup, Wolves players’ car and house keys were handed into reception following the raucous scenes of celebration. Alas, there was no chance of that happening this time.
Nuno said: “It was a tough game and we could have done it. This game should have gone straight to penalties, that would be my preference.
“The FA Cup will be more emotional if it goes to penalties because both teams will go for it.
“We always play to win and to be the best that we can. We want to compete, recover and we are ready for the replay. Now we have a free week to concentrate on transfers and get the players we want.”