Manchester United 1, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 – FA Cup 3rd Round Replay
Juan Mata’s second half goal saw Manchester United safely into the 4th Round of the FA Cup but the Reds lost Marcus Rashford to a hip injury 15 minutes after he came on as a substitute against Wolves.
Wolves had a goal chalked off for handball by VAR and then lost to a sucker punch with Anthony Martial unselfishly putting Juan Mata clean through to score in the second half of a tight FA Cup 3rd Round replay.
Pedro Neto was denied a goal by VAR after it emerged that the ball had ricocheted off Raul Jimenez after coming off Harry Maguire in the build up to his 10th minute goal.
Matt Doherty saw a header come back off the post after latched onto a Ruben Neves cross at the back post with United reeling and Jimenez was flagged offside as he went for the rebound.
Daniel James had been sent clean through three times in the first half but was denied by John Ruddy.
He was sent clear by Brandon Williams but shot wide.
United made a double change, bringing in Marcus Rashford and Andreas Pereira for Daniel James and Mason Greenwood.
But it was a mistake by a Wolves player that allowed United into the game in the 67th minute as Anthony Martial unselfishly put Juan Mata through after Conor Coady lost the ball.
The Spaniard didn’t pass up the chance – galloping upfield before putting the ball inside the back post.
Rashford didn’t look at all fit after coming on though, going down after a challenge by Leander Dendoncker in the 76th minute before coming off in the 79th minute to be replaced by Jesse Lingard.
Wolves kept plugging away but found United in no mood for extra time as their counter attacks were snuffed out by the Reds defence.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 1, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 – FA Cup 3rd Round Replay
Romero: 7. Saved from Raul Jimenez from 12 yards out.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka: 7. Solid but occupied by Jonny Otto.
Victor Lindelof: 7. Lax defending at times but headed away Neto’s cross with Raul Jimenez waiting for a free header and improved in the second half.
Harry Maguire: 7. Saved from an ignominious goal concession by a ricocheted handball off Raul Jimenez in the build up to Neto’s 10th minute goal.
Brandon Williams: 7. Erratic passing early on, given hard examination by Pedro Neto and tangled with the Wolves man before the break. Great assist which Daniel James should have scored.
Nemanja Matic: 6. Robbed twice by Adama Traore who gave him a torrid time. Contributed defensively.
Fred: 7. Saw a shot get deflected wide. Sprayed long passes from midfield that put Wolves under pressure to clear – released Daniel James for a shot which John Ruddy saved.
Mason Greenwood: 5. Anonymous.
Juan Mata: 8. Tried a few pot shots but easy to save for John Ruddy. Kept running all night and scored a deserved goal.
Daniel James: 6. Extremely dangerous on the break with his pace from his favoured left side, wiped out by John Ruddy in United’s first attack – luckily Ruddy got the ball first – and was denied by Ruddy again in the first half. Shot wide with the goal at his mercy.
Anthony Martial: 7. Slipped when he could have been clean through. Unselfish to set up Juan Mata for the opening goal though.
Andreas Pereira (on for Mason Greenwood, 64): 6. Didn’t add much to United going forward.
Marcus Rashford (on for Daniel James, 64): 5. Didn’t look fit coming on, soon went off injured.
Jesse Lingard (on for Marcus Rashford, 79): No time to mark.
GOAL – Manchester United 1, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 – FA Cup 3rd Round Replay
Man Utd 1, Wolves 0: 67. Anthony Martial unselfishly put Juan Mata through after Conor Coady lost the ball and the Spaniard didn’t pass up the chance – galloping upfield before putting the ball inside the back post. #mufc #munwol #wwfc #facup
MATH STATS – Manchester United 1, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 – FA Cup 3rd Round Replay
Man Utd: Romero, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Williams, Matic, Fred, Greenwood (Pereira 64), Mata, James (Rashford 64, Lingard 79), Martial
Man Utd Subs not used: Grant, Jones, Dalot, Chong
Bookings: Fred 37 (Foul on Pedro Neto); Maguire 74 (foul on Raul Jimenez)
Wolves: Ruddy, Dendoncker, Coady, Saiss, Doherty, Moutinho, Neves, Otto (Vinagre 75), Traore (Burr 88), Jimenez, Neto (Gibbs-White 71)
Wolves Subs not used: Rui Patricio, Bennett, Kilman, Ashley-Seal
Bookings: Neto 59 (foul on Brandon Williams); Dendoncker 84 (foul on Aaron Wan-Bissaka)
Referee: Kevin Friend.
Attendance: 67,025