Wolves 1 (Bellegarde 45+2) Manchester United 4 (Fernandes 25 & 82 (P), Mbeumo 51, Mount 62)
Wolves were well beaten by Manchester United on a frustrating evening at Molineux.
Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring midway through the first half, before Jean-Ricner Bellegarde restored parity seconds before the break.
However, Wolves were undone by three second-half goals from the visitors. Bryan Mbeumo netted soon after the restart before Mason Mount doubled his side’s advantage soon after.
Fernandes then put the three points beyond doubt from the spot with 10 minutes left on the clock, compounding the Old Gold’s struggles.
Diogo Dalot was given the best chance of the opening 10 minutes. He met Fernandes’ intuitive early free-kick, running through on goal with only Sam Johnstone to beat, but the Wolves shot-stopper did excellently to turn the effort round the post.
The Wolves ‘keeper was to thank again when, from the resulting corner, Mbeumo caught Amad Diallo’s delivery sweetly on the volley, forcing Johnstone into action once more to parry away to safety.
The visitors continued to press and reaped their rewards when Fernandes capitalised on an error in the Wolves defence, before scrambling in the opener.
Chances continued to materialise for United, and they could - and possibly should - have doubled their lead within half an hour.
Mbeumo’s initial effort was denied by Johnstone, moments before Toti did superbly well to steer Matheus Cunha’s effort off the line, with Diallo skewing the rebound off target.
The hosts enjoyed a bright spell approaching half-time, with Bellegarde firing wide of the upright, before capitalising on the momentum moments later.
Ki-Jana Hoever picked up a loose ball on the right-hand side before firing across goal to find David Moller Wolfe unmarked in the penalty area. He squared back across goal where Bellegarde arrived to slot home at full stretch.
Half-time | Wolves 1-1 Man United
However, Wolves’ hard work was soon undone when the visitors snatched back the lead early in the second half. Dalot advanced goalwards and played Mbeumo clean through, and he made no mistake in rolling the ball into an unguarded net.
The hosts responded well to going behind, but United refused to let up. Fernandes cut open the Wolves defence with a deft dink into Mount’s path, who finished past Johnstone from close range.
Moments later, Johnstone prevented Wolves from falling further behind when he excellently kept out Cunha’s header from just a few yards out.
Fernandes put the victory beyond doubt when he netted his second of the evening, converting from the spot after Yerson Mosquera was deemed to have blocked Diallo’s effort with a deliberate handball.
Rob Edwards’ side searched for what ultimately would have been a consolation goal, but nothing arrived. Substitute Fer Lopez came closest, firing over the crossbar deep into stoppage time, as Wolves were well beaten.
Full-time | Wolves 1-4 Man United
Wolves | Johnstone, Hoever (Tchatchoua 87), Mosquera, Agbadou, Toti (H Bueno 70), Wolfe, Krejci, Andre, Bellegarde (Lopez 54), Arias (Mane 70), Strand Larsen (Arokodare 70).
Unused subs | Sa, S Bueno, Hwang, Chirewa.
Man United | Lammens, Mazraoui (Martinez 69), Heaven (Yoro 69), Shaw, Amad, Casemiro (Mainoo 78), Fernandes, Dalot (Dorgu 84), Mount (Zirkzee 84), Mbeumo, Cunha.
Unused subs | Bayindir, Malacia, Ugarte, Lacey.
