Marcus Rashford’s injury-time winner sends Manchester United second

A deflected Fergie-time winner from Marcus Rashford completed an incredible year for the young doctor and a pretty decent one for Manchester United. They move second in the table, two points behind Liverpool; Wolves stay 12th after the 1-0 defeat.

No-one who has had the misfortunate of watching any of the dreadful games these sides have produced together will be remotely surprised that another dreadful game ensued, with quality and joy at a premium. Wolves defended deep and in numbers with United too slow to pick holes in them. The hosts did muster one first-half chance, Bruno Fernandes volleying straight at Rui Patricio, while for Wolves, Roman Saiss headed onto the bar - though David de Gea had the net covered.

After the break things were a little more open. Edinson Cavani did find the net following a corner but was offside, and VAR ruled against awarding a penalty earlier in the same attack – the ball struck Conor Coady’s hand, but it was doing nothing untoward.

Otherwise - and though United did commit more men forward towards the end - a winner did not remotely look like coming, until it arrived. Rashford did brilliantly to collect Fernandes' pass, preyed on a defender he knew to have cramp, made space, and shot home off Saiss to steal United the points. Whether such behaviour is the mark of title contenders or of a team not yet good enough remains to be seen.

Manchester United are in the best position they’ve been in since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, but though their squad is now one of the strongest in the Premier League, it is not so strong that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can change a handful of players every time and expect to keep winning. It’s a difficult situation for him, because he’s trying to guard against injury and exhaustion, but he surely had an inkling that a midfield three including Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba would be too slow, as proved to be the case during the first half.

But that was not United's only problem. Solskjaer is right not to trust his defence, but with Pogba playing as deep as he did, then all the creative responsibility rests with Fernandes. Though sometimes that will work, it will always slow them down, and Solskjaer was too slow himself in adjusting.

Ultimately, he can reflect that few teams in the league are as difficult to break down as Wolves, whose idiosyncrasies are a particularly bad match-up for them. But he'd be wise to consider how he could've helped his players play better.

With 92 minutes gone, Alan Shearer's pick of Roman Saiss was fair enough. But Rashford had looked sharp throughout and his clever thinking and footwork earned the bit of luck that brought him the winner.

Manchester United: De Gea 7, Wan-Bisska 5, Bailly 6, Maguire 7, Telles 6, Matic 4, Pogba 6, Fernandes 7, Greenwood 5, Cavani 4, Rashford 8. Subs: Shaw 6, Martial 6, McTominay 6.

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Rui Patricio 6, Coady 7, Saiss 7, Kilman 6, Hoever 6, Moutinho 6, Neves 6, Ait-Nouri 7, Traore 5, Neto 5, Vitinha 5. Subs: Podence 5, Fabio Silva 6.

23’ - Neto wins a free-kick 30 yards out and Moutinho flights a ball into the box; Saiss is up highest and loops header than actually clips the top of the bar, but De Gea had it covered.

34’ - A chance! Greenwood teases Kilman, then tosses a luscious cross to the back post where Fernandes arrives. The ball is slightly behind though, so he has to bring a flick from around his arse, on the volley while leaping, and the consequent lack of power allows Rui Patirico to block. Good play all round.

39’ - Neto swerves in low and hard and Saiss gets across Rashford on his way towards the near post, flicking hard; De Gea does really well to parry away.

69’ - United win a corner down the right, Bailly wins the first header, the ball hits Coady's arm, and Cavani sticks it past Patricio. Immediately, the flag goes up for offside, and VAR has a look at the penalty. I don't think it'll be given because Coady's arm was by his side and not moving towards the ball ... and that's indeed the verdict.

81’ - Excellent from Ait-Nouri, who screams in from the touchline and shoots low and hard, forcing De Gea to save; he'll be delighted that the ball dropped to Maguire, because Wolves had plenty of men in the box.

90+3’ - GOAL! Man Utd 1-0 Wolves (Rashford). The Dr has won it! Fernandes drills a fine pass over the top, that forces him wide. But he comes inside, checks to commit his man and buys a yard, then whacks towards the far post - it's a decent effort too - but Saiss sticks out a leg and deflects it inside the far!