United won’t win title with gaping hole in midfield: Neil Humphreys
Greenwood's late winner can't hide Red Devils' holding midfielder problem
Manchester United pinched an unlikely victory this morning (Singapore time), but there's still a suspicion that they might have bought the wrong player.
Mason Greenwood's 80th-minute winner against Wolverhampton Wanderers capped a euphoric week for the Red Devils, following their signing of Cristiano Ronaldo.
But a young striker's late heroics and the second coming of a messianic old striker cannot entirely cover that gaping hole in central midfield.
| WOLVES | MANCHESTER UNITED |
| 0 | 1 |
Greenwood will score more goals this season. Ronaldo will sell more jerseys, but he might not win as many games as, say, Declan Rice - a long-term United target.
The Red Devils' lacklustre 1-0 win at Wolves hinted that their greatest need is a holding midfielder that lives up to the job description.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men finished second last season and Fred and Paul Pogba are not the midfielders to close the gap, not in their current positions.
Solskjaer has spoken of his ambition to play an attacking 4-3-3, but he opted for a safer, defensive 4-2-3-1 that allowed Wolves' forwards to muscle their way through on too many occasions.
Fred conceded simple possession far too often, allowing the irrepressible Adama Traore to charge through the space behind. Only a decent save and a goal-line clearance stopped United falling behind in the first half.
As holding midfielders, Pogba and Fred seem incompatible. Fred's distribution can make him a liability, forcing Pogba into a defensive, baby-sitting role and essentially neutering the Frenchman's finest qualities.
When United eviscerated Leeds United recently, Pogba revelled in a more advanced, freer role, spraying passes and collecting assists like trinkets. Alongside Fred against Wolves, the playmaker was straitjacketed.
With those fissures at United's centre, they couldn't settle elsewhere.
Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho were both handed their full debuts, but the former was often overworked, thanks to his brittle midfield, and the latter was anonymous, thanks to his brittle midfield.
When Sancho went off in the 72nd minute, United still hadn't mustered a single shot on target.
Rumours persist that Solskjaer may still add a midfielder before the transfer window closes and finds himself in an invidious position of sorts.
ANTI-CLIMATIC SEASON
Should he succeed, anything other than a trophy of note will be considered yet another anti-climactic campaign.
The Norwegian finished second last season and has since added Varane, Sancho and Ronaldo. He has a title-contending squad.
But should Solskjaer fail in signing a midfielder, the club's recruitment should be questioned again. Ronaldo's impending arrival will delight the megastores and the shareholders, but his impact against Wolves would've been negligible.
The Portuguese veteran plays almost exclusively in the box these days. United rarely put the ball there.
Much of the attacking impetus at the Molineux came from the visitors as Traore, Trincao and Fernando Marcal pressed continuously. Joao Moutinho, Wolves' seasoned 34-year-old, took care of both Fred and Pogba for the most part.
Of course, the hosts' dominance hadn't translated into goals as the game became a scrappier affair and there was always the risk of their positive endeavour coming to naught.
In the 69th minute, an extraordinary double save from David de Gea suggested Wolves were facing one of those days: a confident, swashbuckling display against title contenders, but no goals to show for it.
Sure enough, United got lucky, twice. First, the visitors played on after Ruben Neves went down (in the first half, Wolves put the ball out of play after Bruno Fernandes went down theatrically). And second, as the hosts hesitated, Greenwood buried a strike in the far corner in the 80th minute.
The finish was a fine one - and the young forward's third goal in as many games - but his strike certainly came against the run of play.
Solskjaer knows he's got lucky twice in a week, first with Ronaldo's turnaround, then with Greenwood's turn and strike in the box.
He probably shouldn't tempt fate a third time. The transfer window isn't shut yet. And United's midfield hole remains...
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