Wolves 2 Manchester United 0: What did Fernandes do? An olimpico problem, what now for Amorim?

On By Littum

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off for the third time this season as Ruben Amorim’s side lost for the fourth time in five Premier League games.

After a sluggish first half, Fernandes didn’t help his side two minutes after the restart. Already on a booking, Fernandes scraped Nelson Semedo’s ankle and was shown a second yellow by referee Tony Harrington.

Things quickly went from bad to worse in the 58th minute when Matheus Cunha’s corner went over Andre Onana and straight into the far corner, the second time United have conceded an ‘olimpico’ in a week.

United’s ten men went in search of an equalizer but the result was beyond doubt in the ninth minute of added time when Cunha broke free and teed up Hwang Hee-chan to tap in from close range.

That made it two in two wins for new Wolves boss Vitor Pereira – how Amorim, who once again left Marcus Rashford out of his squad, must be dreaming of back-to-back wins. His team has dropped to 14th.

The Athletic’s Mark Critchley analyzes the action from Molineux.

What was Fernandes thinking?

Fernandes had just two career appearances to his name before the start of this season, both during his time at Sporting CP. He has surpassed that total in just 27 appearances this season.

The United captain became the club’s first player to be sent off three times in a single campaign since Nemanja Vidic in the 2008-09 campaign. And it took Vidic until March.

And while the straight red against Tottenham Hotspur was rightly overturned, and even the one a few days later at Porto could be questioned, this time he could have no complaints.


Fernandes is sent off by Tony Harrington (HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)

If the foul on Cunha for the first booking was cynical, the second on Semedo was ruthless to any player – never mind one already on a yellow, never mind a United captain.

And for American readers:

Fernandes has always played with an edge. Perhaps a concentrated flurry of dispatches was inevitable sooner or later. But at a time when United desperately need leadership, their captain was found wanting.

Why United admit olimpicos?

If you had ‘United will concede twice straight from a corner in a week’ on your 2024-25 bingo cards, then fair play. You have to admire how this team finds new, bizarre ways to overwhelm.

Anyone at Old Trafford who hadn’t heard of an ‘Olimpico’ this time last week surely will now after Cunha emulated Son Heung-min by finding the net from the most acute of angles.

Altay Bayindir didn’t take credit for that error against Tottenham, and neither did Onana on this occasion, completely misjudging the flight of the ball.

And for American readers:

However, Onana was crowded out by Wolves players and did not offer much protection to his teammates. It was a collective as well as individual failure.

And then it falls as another goal conceded from a set piece – this time literally. United have now hit double digits on the deplorable metric.

What next for United?

It is now five defeats in seven games in all competitions for Amorim. Thus, he has suffered more defeats as manager this season than Erik ten Hag did before his dismissal.

Of course, that is not the full picture, there have been plenty of positives along the way, and as Amorim has reiterated, United will have to weather a storm to get to where they need to be.

But he has also said he needs results along the way. United are now 14th and the gap to where they want to be extended.


Amorim after his side went backwards (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Amorim’s side are seven points behind fifth-placed Newcastle United, who visit Old Trafford on Monday. Fourth place could be 12 points away tomorrow.

Any vague, remote hope of turning this campaign around and competing for Champions League qualification through the league is dwindling. Meanwhile, the problems are growing.

The attack lacks balance and fluidity. The defense is unable to keep the ball out of the net on set pieces. Amorim has a lot to sort out.

What next for Manchester United?

Monday, December 30: Newcastle United (home), Premier League, at 20.00 Great Britain, at 3 p.m. ET

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(Photo by Jack Thomas – WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images)