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| Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Leander Dendoncker celebrates with team mates after Manchester United’s Chris Smalling scored an own goal |
Manchester United endured another nightmare trip to Wolves on Tuesday night as Ole Gunnar Solskjaerโs men slumped to their third defeat in four matches.
It is just 17 days since the Norwegian caretaker manager bemoaned the โpoorest performanceโ of his reign, with Nuno Espirito Santoโs side deservedly reaching the FA Cup semi-finals at Unitedโs expense.
The visitors started their Molineux return well but wasted a number of chances either side of Scott McTominayโs superb first goal for the club, allowing Diogo Jota to level before Ashley Young became the recipient of Mike Deanโs 100th Premier League red card.
Chris Smallingโs own goal sealed Wolvesโ 2-1 comeback win, sending them to Wembley in high spirits as Solskjaerโs men not only blew the chance to exact revenge but also to reassert themselves in the top-four race.
United should have been three up midway through the first half, with Romelu Lukaku โ in for the injured Marcus Rashford โ and Jesse Lingard wasting glorious opportunities in between a fine McTominay strike.
Fredโs heavy touch from a David De Gea pass was ruthlessly punished as Jota was put behind to level, before being clattered by Young in the 57th minute as referee Dean showed the United captain a second yellow card.
From there it was always going to be an uphill battle, with Smalling turning into his own goal as Solskjaer tasted defeat as permanent United boss for the first time.
In the nightโs other match Fulham were relegated from the Premier League after a 4-1 defeat at Watford left them 16 points adrift of the safety zone with five games remaining.
They will be in the Championship next season with Huddersfield Town, who on Saturday became only the second team to be relegated from the Premier League before the end of March.
