Rudderless Manchester United cruise past winless Wolves
Bruno Fernandes scored a brace as Manchester United won away to Wolves in the Premier League. Pic: Nick Potts/PA Wire.
IS Rob Edwards the first 'rat' to join a sinking ship?
That has to be conclusion, as what the 42-year-old described as his dream job appears in grave danger of quickly turning into a nightmare.
One team looked disjointed, pedestrian and there for the taking. The other was Wolverhampton Wanderers, who with just two points to their name already know they will be bottom at Christmas after a club-record equaling eighth consecutive top-flight defeat.
Despite their own glaring deficiencies, Ruben Amorim's side were marginally less bad than their hosts and climbed into the top six thanks to a fifth game unbeaten on the road as Bryan Mbeumo and Mason Mount added to a goal in each half from Bruno Fernandes. United still look rather rudderless, but Wolves are going down with all hands.
Edwards earned his unflattering rodent-themed moniker from Middlesbrough supporters last month for walking out on a club who could well swap divisions with his new employers in May.
Such is the unwanted reputation the Molineux club have developed for disposing of managers, it's not at all clear whether the genial Welshman, the third head coach inside 12 months, will be in situ for what appears an inevitable second tier campaign come August.
Wolves fans know a sub-standard owner when they see one, and thousands remained outside the stadium for the first 15 minutes in a stay-away protest against the Chinese conglomerate Fosun.
The hosts' defence was similarly absent at a quick free kick from the visitors' half, allowing Diogo Dalot acres of space to sprint into the area, only to be denied a second goal in as many games by a fine block from former United academy keeper Sam Johnstone.
United's opening goal after 25 minutes was a comedy of errors from both sides.
Brazilian midfielder Andre needlessly surrendered possession to Casemiro and when former Wolves striker Matheus Cunha pounced on the loose ball in the area, his awful pass saw Fernandes slip over in his efforts to retrieve it.
The prone Portuguese held-off the ineffectual efforts of Emmanuel Agbadou to send a limp shot towards goal which still proved too much for Johnstone's cloth-wristed attempt to prevent it from trickling apologetically into the net.
Toti Gomes cleared off the line from Cunha after Johnstone saved Bryan Mbeumo's shot and Wolves made the most of their escape on the stroke of half-time with their first goal since October 26.
United failed to deal with a routine cross into their box, and when David Moller Wolfe recycled the ball back across goal, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde stretched to divert it into the bottom corner from a dozen yards to end a nine-hour drought.
In front of an away end which included world darts champion Luke Littler, parity lasted just five minutes into the second half. Wolves were cut apart by Fernandes' pass to Dalot, whose diagonal pass into the area was swept into an unguarded net by Mbeumo.
Mount put the outcome beyond doubt seven minutes later with an unflustered volley from a beautifully lofted Fernandes pass into the area. The United captain slotted home the fourth from the spot with eight minutes left after Yerson Mosquera's stooping handball was spotted by VAR.
Johnstone 3; Mosquera 4, Agbadou, Toti 3 (H Bueno 70, 5); Hoever 4 (Tchatchoua 86, 5), Andre 3, Krejci 4, Moller-Wolfe 5; Arias 4 (Mane 70, 5), Bellegarde 7 (Lopez 55, 5); Strand Larsen 3 (Arokodare 69, 6) Booked:.Strand Larsen, Krejci, Mosquero.
Lammens 6; Mazraoui 6 (Martinez 69, 6), Heaven 5 (Yoro 69, 6), Shaw 6; Amad 6, Casemiro 6 (Mainoo 78, 6), Bruno Fernandes 8, Dalot 7 (Dorgu 85, 6); Mbeumo 7, Mount 7 (Zirkzee 85, 6); Cunha 6. Booked: Mbeumo, Zirkzee.
Michael Salisbury
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