Cunha’s Wolves magic and Fernandes red card add to Manchester United woe

It was impossible to ignore the shift in mood, the supporters singing the name of their charismatic Portuguese head coach, parachuted in to solve a myriad issues but chiefly the miserable results and the leaky defence. Determined to immerse himself in the local culture, he and his staff spent Christmas Day enjoying a traditional lunch at a local pub a few miles out of town. Then there is the friction between those who pay their money in the stands and those who spend it in the boardroom. It has been an unhappy picture for a while, the players presumably thinking of an appropriate escape route. The problem for Ruben Amorim is that Vítor Pereira was the manager who triumphed here.

For Manchester United, it is now four defeats in their past five matches. United, who drop a place to 14th, are eight points above the relegation zone, 11 from the top four, which is badly fading from view, having taken seven points from a possible 21 since Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag. Matheus Cunha – just where would Wolves be without him? – scored the first goal, direct from a corner, and squared the ball eight minutes into stoppage time to allow the substitute Hwang Hee-chan a simple finish. For Pereira, it has been a flawless start, two wins from two and the worst defence in the division has been bolted secure. At least for now. At the same time, a gutless United never looked like scoring.