Manchester United‘s season suffered another Boxing Day blow as captain Bruno Fernandes was sent-off in a 2-0 defeat at lowly Wolves.
Fernandes saw red for the third time this season early in the second half for a second bookable offence. Wolves took full advantage to make it two wins in two games under new boss Vitor Pereira.
Matheus Cunha’s goal direct from a corner opened the scoring before he teed up Hwang Hee-chan with virtually the last kick of the game.
United, who slipped to 14th, have won just twice in seven Premier League games since Ruben Amorim took charge last month and were insipid in attack even before Fernandes’ dismissal.
Victory was enough to lift Wolves out of the relegation zone at the expense of Leicester, who visit leaders Liverpool later.
The optimism that greeted Amorim’s early days in charge already seem a distant memory as the Portuguese has been left in no doubt over the scale of the task he faces to turn around a fallen giant.
Amorim reacted to a 3-0 humbling at home to Bournemouth on Sunday by making just two changes.
Leny Yoro came into the defence, while Rasmus Hojlund replaced Joshua Zirkzee up front.
The Dane, though, struggled to make any impact as Cunha showed the value of a forward in form.
Wolves look set to lose their top scorer to suspension over an FA charge for misconduct for a clash with an Ipswich member of staff after a 2-1 defeat earlier this month that cost Gary O’Neil his job.
Only Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer and Alexander Isak have scored more goals in the Premier League this season than the Brazilian international.
For the fifth consecutive Premier League game they conceded from either a corner or free-kick in what proved to be the decisive goal.
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