Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford scored the opening goal, and Kobbie Mainoo added a fantastic late winner as they defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-3 at Molineux on Thursday.
Manager Erik ten Hag left Rashford who had been linked to PSG out of United’s 4-2 Cup win over Newport County on Sunday, but he scored the opening goal after five minutes against Wolves and assisted Luke Shaw in setting up Rasmus Hojlund for the second in the 22nd minute.
United should have scored more goals in a dominant first half, but Hojlund and Casmeiro’s efforts were ruled out for offside. The game came to life midway through the second half when the host side were awarded a penalty.
Video replays indicated little contact as Pedro Neto fell down under a challenge from Casemiro, who had been booked in the third minute, but a VAR review confirmed the decision to give the penalty kick, and substitute Pablo Sarabia scored in the 71st minute.
Scott McTominay struck shortly after coming off the bench to restore the visitors’ two-goal cushion in the 75th minute but the home side weren’t done and when Max Kilman reduced the deficit in the 85th minute, it set the scene for a thrilling climax.
Neto levelled in stoppage time with a superb effort, but Mainoo topped that by curling the ball into the net in the 97th minute to snatch a win that moved United up to seventh in the Premier League table on 35 points. Wolves are 11th on 29.
“It is a dream come true,” Mainoo told broadcaster TNT after netting his first Premier League goal.
“It is a tough place to come. We had to get the win. I have still not come down from it, I still feel like I’m dreaming, to be honest. To start playing in the Premier League for my boyhood club has been amazing. Now it’s about trying to win more games.”
United captain Bruno Fernandes praised the 18-year-old Mainoo for his cool finish in the cauldron atmosphere.
“He is a big talent. I have seen him play for the Under-18s and I said a couple of years ago the name of Kobbie without knowing if he would come and play for the first team,” he told TNT.
A relieved Erik ten Hag called it a “massive” win for his side.
“I think we played very good and we dictated the game for an hour. We should have gone up 3-0 or 4-0. We didn’t and in the end it’s quite naive, the way we concede the goals,” he said.
“It shouldn’t happen, but then we showed great resilience, especially Kobbie Mainoo, it was a great goal,” the Dutchman added.
