Andre Onana saves, Raphael Varane scores in Man United win over Wolves

Manchester United made very difficult work of their 2023-24 Premier League opener, but Erik ten Hag’s side fought hard and picked up a 1-0 victory over Wolves at Old Trafford on Monday.

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Raphael Varane got the game’s only goal in the 76th minute, just when it was looking like 0-0 might be the unavoidable outcome, and only after Wolves took the game to the Red Devils and looked likeliest to score for much of the evening. Final xG tally: Man United 1.46, Wolves 2.23.

Summer signing Andre Onana ($57 million) made six saves as Wolves defended deep and caused Manchester United loads of problems on the counter-attack. Pedro Neto, Matheus Nunes and Matheus Cunha wreaked havoc in the open field, but Onana was sensational — apart from a very late penalty shout which, bewilderingly, went unheard after, even after video review — on his debut and proved why it was necessary to move on after 12 years of David de Gea.

Manchester United strong in possession, flat in attack

There still remains an element of “safety first” to the way Man United play. With three capable, but unspectacular not necessarily creative, passers in the midfield, the Red Devils are fantastic at keeping the ball and circulating it from side to side. The problem, of course, when it comes time to play it forward, into the final third and/or — gasp — the penalty area.

Because their build-up play is so slow and methodical, full backs Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka tend to creep farther and farther forward to join the attack and create numerical advantages in hopes of playing their way through low defensive blocks. Therein lies United’s biggest problem on Monday: when the full backs got too far forward, it was open season on Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez. It’s almost as if they lull themselves to sleep, only to be hit on the counter-attack again and again. Only newly promoted sides Luton Town (27) and Sheffield United (24) faced more shots than Manchester United (23) in matchweek 1.

What’s next?

Manchester United will face their first tough test of the new season next Saturday, when they head to north London to face Ange Postecoglu’s Tottenham. Wolves will try to pick up their first point(s) of the season when Brighton visit Molineux on Saturday.

How to watch Manchester United vs Wolves live, stream link, time

Kickoff: 3pm ET, Monday (August 14)

TV Channel: USA Network

Online: Watch online via Peacock Premium