Arms folded, he stood on the edge of his technical area, wearing a disapproving glare as the rain pounded the Molineux pitch. Nuno Espirito Santo was not happy with what he was seeing.
For the first quarter of the Manchester United’s visit to Molineux on Tuesday night, Wolves lacked the intensity and coordination that has seen them punch above their weight against the Premier League’s traditional powers this season. Trailing to a Scott McTominay strike, the rarely-rotated home side’s pressing looked fatigued, their sloppy passing perhaps betraying early nerves in advance of a Wembley date with Watford in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.
But then Diogo Jota’s equaliser arrived like a defibrillator jolt to reawaken Wolves. Suddenly they were restored, their harrying of United again typically relentless, precise and incisive on the counter. Nuno’s gaze remained fixed and unaltered – arms still folded; brow still furrowed –but now he recognised his men in old gold. And a fourth victory over top-six opposition in all competitions this season was secured when Chris Smalling scuffed into his own net with 13 minutes to play.
United were back at the scene of arguably their worst performance under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, having been eliminated from the FA Cup by Wolves in a more comprehensive fashion than the 2-1 scoreline of three weeks ago suggested. And it seemed they were determined to right a few wrongs, with Jesse Lingard’s driving run and shot directly from kick-off amounting to more attacking intent than they displayed in 90 minutes last time the two sides met.
As Wolves misplaced passes and allowed United the rare luxury of open, uncontested acreage at Molineux, Solskjaer’s side were rampant. Rui Patricio denied Romelu Lukaku the game’s opening goal when he diverted a close-range header the Belgian ought to have scored, but United couldn’t be kept at bay much longer.
As Fred worked the ball from left to right in the 13th minute, McTominay strode into space on the edge of the box and sent a sputtering shot into the bottom corner for his first goal as a United senior.
Wolves’ woes were encapsulated in the 21st minute, when Joao Moutinho, ordinarily so reliable, scuffed a corner kick straight out of play.
The Molineux malaise was soon lifted, though, and Raul Jimenez was the architect. The Mexican broke down the left, and after his low centre had pinballed around United shins inside the penalty area, Jota, the Red Devils’ FA Cup tormentor, pounced to lash an equaliser beyond David de Gea.
9 – Diogo Jota has had a hand in nine goals in his last seven Premier League games at Molineux (6 goals, 3 assists), having failed to score or assist a single goal in his first six at the ground. Turnaround. pic.twitter.com/IE07i6Ro29
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 2, 2019
Now Woves were firing. Their trademark breakaways were rapid. Moutinho was connecting the dots and Ruben Neves was back to shooting from absurd ranges. The space they had previously allowed United was swallowed up, much to the chagrin of Paul Pogba, who vented his frustration like a truculent toddler.
Jota’s pace and directness on the counter was too much for United to handle. Luke Shaw was booked for cynically pulling back the former Porto winger as he threatened to break clear late in the first half, and Ashley Young was deservedly sent off for an over-the-ball challenge on the goal-scorer approaching the hour mark.
United were again imbued with urgency at the beginning of the second period, but their threat had dissipated. The downpour had lifted over Molineux and there was little in the way of a storm left for Wolves to weather.
Nuno’s men, as they have all season when at their best, were profiting from the chaos they cultivated. They pressed, passed and countered. Pressure from Dendoncker forced a Smalling own goal, and the United defender almost cleared into his own net again at the death, only for De Gea to spring low to his right to save his team-mate from further embarrassment.
Even De Gea was helpless as Ivan Cavaleiro rattled the bar in stoppage time.
In the final weeks of the season, Wolves might find themselves with the chance to rain on the parades of both title challengers, hosting Liverpool on the final weekend of the Premier League campaign and with quadruple-chasing Manchester City their likely opponents in the FA Cup final, should the Black Country side first overcome Watford.
A victory over either Liverpool or City would still be considered an upset, but not for much longer; Wolves have delivered a statement of intent this season – intent to shake up the Big Six, and an unwillingness to compromise cup ambitions for league form. And the way they have performed against the biggest teams this term suggests they do not share the rest of the Premier League’s inferiority complex.
Confident and chaotic yet organised and controlling, for all the money they have spent to get here, Wolves are still a team greater than the sum of its parts. They may have stuttered early against United, but Nuno, arms folded at the edge of his technical area, didn’t flinch. Wembley awaits.
Ryan Baldi
