Manchester United’s erratic 2025 campaign ended in disappointment with a 1-1 draw against bottom-placed Wolves, as manager Rob Edwards picked up his first point in charge.
Following a 4-1 victory at Molineux just three weeks earlier, Ruben Amorim’s team struggled without key players Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo, and Mason Mount.
Both teams were missing eight senior players, but Wolves responded positively to their challenging situation, overcoming an early goal from Joshua Zirkzee with an unfortunate deflection.
Ladislav Krejcí equalized for the visitors just before halftime, ending their 11-match losing streak in the Premier League.
Wolves’ supporters celebrated with fervor as their 19th game of a tough season finally yielded a positive result under Edwards.
In contrast, United’s manager Amorim couldn’t build on their Boxing Day victory against Newcastle, with Patrick Dorgu having a 90th-minute goal disallowed for offside, resulting in boos at the final whistle.
Wolves encountered a few shaky moments early on as United switched to a three-man defense after their previous match, with Benjamin Sesko narrowly missing with a shot after a clever turn.
However, Wolves began to gel as a team, and they fell behind due to an unfortunate turn of events in the 27th minute.
Ayden Heaven expertly took the ball from Hwang Hee-chan and drove towards the box, where Zirkzee turned quickly and shot. His effort deflected off Krejcí, putting the ball beyond the reach of Sa.
Sesko had a header saved, and another attempt hit the post as United pushed for a quick second goal, with Dorgu’s powerful shot just missing the target.
Yet again, United’s failure to capitalize on opportunities came back to haunt them.
Hwang fired wide, while Tolu Arokodare missed with a header, and Senne Lammens denied Hugo Bueno with a quick save before Krejcí struck his equalizer in the 45th minute.
Zirkzee connected with a corner, creating a looping ball that Krejcí deftly headed home in front of the Stretford End.
Slightly frustrated by the halftime score, United made a substitution with Jack Fletcher coming on for Zirkzee as they attempted to regain control of the match after the break.
Sesko squandered a golden opportunity when he headed a lovely ball from Casemiro straight at Sa, who recovered dramatically to deny Yerson Mosquera from scoring an own goal.
Wolves’ goalkeeper made a crucial save, while Lammens continued to shine at the other end, preventing Krejcí from scoring his second and thwarting Mosquera’s attempt to capitalize on the loose ball.
Frustration echoed through Old Trafford as chants of “attack, attack, attack” filled the air, prompting Amorim to bring on 17-year-old debutant Bendito Mantato.
As the game neared its end, both teams displayed desperation; Jhon Arias came close under pressure, but Dorgu had a late chance for a dramatic winner that was overturned for offside after he struck following a parried effort from Sa.
The final whistle was met with contrasting reactions; boos from the United fans juxtaposed with Wolves’ supporters celebrating their hard-fought point.