In a 2-0 loss to lowly Wolves, the referee sent off captain Bruno Fernandes, dealing yet another blow to Manchester United’s dismal season. Early in the second half, the referee showed Fernandes a second yellow card for a bookable offense, resulting in his third red card of the season. Under new manager Vitor Pereira, Wolves capitalized to win two straight games. After opening the score with a goal straight from a corner, Matheus Cunha set up Hwang Hee-chan with what was essentially the final kick of the match. Even prior to Fernandes’ firing, United, who dropped to 14th place, had only won twice in seven Premier League games since Ruben Amorim took over last month.
Leicester lost at Liverpool, but Wolves’ victory was sufficient to pull them out of the relegation zone.
The Portuguese face no doubt about the magnitude of the challenge that Amorim confronts in trying to turn around a fallen titan, making the optimism that greeted his early days in command seem like a faint memory.
Amorim made just two changes in response to Sunday’s 3-0 humiliation at home against Bournemouth.
However, as Cunha demonstrated the worth of a forward in form, the Dane found it difficult to make any impression.
This season, only Alexander Isak, Cole Palmer, Erling Haaland, and Mohamed Salah have scored more goals in the Premier League than the Brazilian international.
In contrast, United’s talisman failed them.
Two minutes into the second half, Fernandes recklessly rushed in on his Portuguese international teammate Nelson Semedo, teetering on the edge of a first-half booking.
Referee Tony Harrington’s use of a second yellow and a red caused little protests, even from the always combative Fernandes.
The referee sent off the 30-year-old in a 3-3 Europa League tie at Porto after the appeal overturned his first red card of the season against Tottenham.
When Semedo squared for Jorgen Strand Larsen to tap in, Wolves nearly immediately turned the man advantage into a goal.
However, before hitting the cross, the Norwegian had veered offside.
Since Amorim took over for Erik ten Hag, United’s shortcomings from set pieces have been frequently shown.
They gave up what turned out to be the game-winning goal from a corner or free kick for the sixth straight Premier League match.
With United goalkeeper Andre Onana positioned between two Wolves players, Cunha’s in-swinging pass sailed in at the far post, and the Cameroonian’s cries for a foul were ignored.
United was able to push for an equalizer in the waning minutes because of Wolves’ anxiousness.
On yet another gloomy night for Amorim, however, the 10-man Red Devils came closest to redemption when a header from Harry Maguire fluttered into the arms of Jose Sa.
When he and Cunha were down to only Onana to beat between them, Hwang added salt to United’s wounds far into stoppage time.
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