O’Shea sinks brave Wolves

Manchester United 1 Wolves 0

With Ruud van Nistelrooy's 10-match Premiership scoring streak coming to an end, Manchester United needed O'Shea's first senior goal to give them victory.

However, United's 100% start to the season was not maintained without a fright or two and Dave Jones' basement boys will wonder how they failed to level after creating a string of clear-cut chances.

The Irish defender rose highest to nod home Diego Forlan's 10th-minute corner, although the visitors would have levelled before the break had Henri Camara not side-footed wide after being sent clean through by Nathan Blake.

Teenage sensation Cristiano Ronaldo was handed his first start for Manchester United as they looked to return to the Premiership summit at the expense of pointless Wolves at Old Trafford.

But two visitors had a particular reason to do well, with both Paul Ince and Denis Irwin returning to familiar territory.

However, while Irwin was guaranteed a warm welcome from the home support, Ince was facing his usual frosty reception.

It took United just two minutes to rip the Wolves defence apart as Diego Forlan set Ole Gunnar Solskjaer away down the right with an excellent reverse pass.

Solskjaer went for goal from a tight angle, but still forced an excellent save from Michael Oakes, who enjoyed a slice of good fortune when the rebound just evaded the on-rushing van Nistelrooy.

Although Wolves were putting up a fight, they were being outclassed and when Paul Butler conceded a corner after nine minutes, their defences broke.

Forlan took it, dropping the ball dangerously into the six-yard area where John O'Shea, charging through static defenders, rose to power in his first senior goal.

Ronaldo's first foray forward had Irwin and Alex Rae on the back foot, but the youngster wasted the opportunity by laying a pass-off straight to Ince.

Nathan Blake was cautioned for a foul on O'Shea fully 60 seconds, and two stoppages of play after the tackle was made then Forlan launched an ambitious attempt towards goal but Oakes saved easily.

Van Nistelrooy was fortunate to escape a yellow card after he caught Butler in the face with a swinging arm, even if there was nothing malicious in it. Neville did not escape though as he slid through the back of Camara.

With neither Kleberson, Eric Djemba-Djemba nor Ronaldo enjoying a particularly productive evening, United had been unable to take advantage of their early pressure and Wolves' honest endeavour was starting to push the home side back.

They should have equalised nine minutes before the break when Blake's pass just evaded Keane's attempted interception and set Camara away. Tim Howard did his job well though, standing up for as long as he dared, then watching as Camara side-footed wide of the post.

Encouragingly for the visitors, they fashioned the first decent shooting chance of the second period, which Alex Rae rasped narrowly wide, although Howard appeared to have it covered.

Camara fired wide from a similar position shortly afterwards as Wolves maintained their attacking impetus, although history suggested they needed a goal to avoid being hit by a Red Devils sucker-punch.

It would not come though, Camara again the unlucky man as his overhead kick dropped agonisingly on the wrong side of the crossbar after Blake had forced his way to the edge of the box.

Ferguson's introduction of the long-serving pair seemed to spark United into life and after Solskjaer had won a corner, Giggs found Scholes lurking unmarked 20 yards out but the England international couldn't direct his volley on target.

O'Shea was booked for a foul on Blake, then Solksjaer needed treatment by the touchline for what appeared to be a knee injury, which eventually necessitated the arrival of David Bellion for his United debut.

Wolves substitute Silas ignored an unmarked Rae and opted to shoot himself from 20 yards, his failure to find the target bringing an angry reaction from his Scottish team-mate.

The visitors piled forward frantically in the final stages but to no avail as United slipped in behind Arsenal on maximum points.

MAN UTD: Howard, Gary Neville, O'Shea, Keane, Phil Neville, Solskjaer, Kleberson, Djemba-Djemba, Ronaldo, Forlan, van Nistelrooy.

WOLVERHAMPTON: Oakes, Irwin, Butler, Craddock, Naylor, Newton, Cameron, Ince, Rae, Blake, Camara. Referee: G Poll