(Match Report / Wolves (A))

Paul Scholes‘ 100th Premier League goal was enough to earn 3 points away to Wolves, and send Manchester United to the top of the table, after a relatively unconvincing performance from the Carling Cup champions. Wayne Rooney, who was always a doubt for the game, was left out, and the season-long injury to Michael Owen meant that Dimitar Berbatov would be leading the line for United. Darren Fletcher was also given a rest, for the midweek clash against Milan, and Nani returned after a 3 games suspension to complete a midfield of Carrick, Scholes, Gibson and Valencia. Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic paired up for the first time since October — indeed, this was the first time that the back four of Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra and Brown had played in 18 months. On paper, it seemed a simple enough task of getting 3 points, but as the game proved after on, nothing is played on paper, and the win was a very laborious one in the end.

As the teams kicked off in the late match of the day, there seemed to be a lack of urgency from United. A Wembley hangover maybe? Or perhaps missing the energy and enthusiasm of players like Fletcher, Rooney and Park. The first chance of the game came for Wolves in the form of Kevin Doyle, who was performing quite well against United’s centre backs. Breaking off a counter attack, Matt Jarvis found Doyle at the edge of the box, but he Irishman only managed to drag his shot across the face of van der Sar’s goal. Jarvis was then at it again, after he turned Carrick and Gibson brilliantly in the middle of the park, and laid it off for David Jones, whose goalbound shot was blocked heroically by Carrick.

The best chance then came for Wolves yet again, this time for Stephen Ward, after Jarvis sent in a lovely cross, but the unmarked Ward only managed to head it straight at van der Sar. The United fans were visibly frustrated, and the midfield seemed to lack any kind of bite without the presence of Fletcher.The only chances for United before the break came from long-range efforts, but nothing special to test Hahnemann in goal. Nothing concrete, though.

After the break, the performance did improved minimality, but nothing too much to concern the battling Wolves side. Patrice Evra came close early on after bursting into the box, but his effort on goal was cleared away from danger by Foley. Mame Biram Diouf was brought on in place of Darron Gibson, to partner Berbatov up front. Just when it seemed as though this was going to be “one of those days”, Paul Scholes stepped up and made the difference. The relatively ineffective Nani sent in a pass into the box that Wolves had some trouble defending. Scholes made a rare venture into the box and latched onto the error from the Wolves defence, and placed a lovely strike into the bottom corner from about 8 yards out. That was goal number 100 in the league, a milestone that has been long awaited, but it came at a crucial time for the lacklustre Reds.

Ji-Sung Park came on to bring some urgency to the side, and this seemed to push United through the gears a lot, and a number of chances presented itself in quick succession. Diouf managed to sky a free header over the bar, and then had a an easier chance to finish from 6 yards out, but did not anticipate well enough to think that the ball would get past all defenders and to his feet.

Into injury time however, United fans had their hearts in their mouths, when Zubar’s pass somehow rolled to Sam Vokes 8 yards out, with only van der Sar ahead of him, but inexplicably, the “striker” blazed his shot into the stands, perhaps bottling under the heat of the moment. Had he scored, it could have been a really vital point for Wolves, and a big dent in United’s title ambitions, but luckily enough Vokes crumbled.

A crucial 3 points for Manchester United then, but a far from convincing performance. Fans will hope that Rooney is back for the 2nd leg Champions League clash against Milan, and a better performance too. Anyway, a win is a win, and we’re back at the top of the table!

Best Moment: Scholes’ 100th

Worst Moment: When Vokes nearly scored

Man of the Match: Paul Scholes
Written by Sownak27