On August 15, Man Utd emerged victorious with a 1-0 scoreline against Wolves in the opening match of the Premier League 2023/24 season. The only goal of the game was scored by Raphael Varane.
In the pre-match press conference, Coach Erik Ten Hag emphasized the need for Man Utd to “raise their standards.” However, the performance displayed at Old Trafford this morning failed to reflect that sentiment, as Man Utd played a somewhat controlled and inflexible style of football. They appeared relatively passive when faced with pressure from the opponent.
It is worth noting that Man Utd faced Wolves, one of the three teams expected to struggle with relegation this season. Additionally, the appointment of Gary O’Neil as manager to replace Julen Lopetegui occurred just a few days before the start of the Premier League season.
Throughout the 90 minutes at Old Trafford, Wolves proved to be the better team. They exhibited a well-organized defense and displayed sharpness in their counterattacks. The ball possession statistics were relatively close, with Wolves holding 49% and Man Utd holding 51%.In fact, Wolves created more scoring opportunities compared to the home team, registering 23 shots on goal compared to Man Utd’s 15, with six shots on target compared to Man Utd’s three. In terms of expected goals (xG), Wolves also outperformed Man Utd, recording 2.14 xG compared to Man Utd’s 1.49.
Opta statistics reveal that Wolves became the second away team in the 21st century to have the second-highest number of shots at Old Trafford, with only Chelsea in November 2005 surpassing their record of 25 shots. With better utilization of their chances by players like Cunha and Andre Silva, as well as fewer exceptional saves by Man Utd goalkeeper Andre Onana, Wolves could have potentially left Manchester with at least a point.
The goal-scoring opportunity in the 76th minute, where Bruno Fernandes delivered a lofted pass over the Wolves defense, allowing Wan-Bissaka to make a forward run and assist Varane with a header, was one of the rare bright spots for Man Utd in the match. While it secured them the victory, it did not fully dispel doubts regarding Man Utd’s ability to break through under the leadership of Ten Hag this season.
