Manchester United vs Wolves LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction from fixture tonight

Follow all the action live as the Ralf Rangnick and Bruno Lage’s sides go head-to-head at Old Trafford

(Getty Images)

This was the first defeat of the Ralf Rangnick era but not only that, it was deserved. In all honesty, it may even be overdue. Manchester United had been fortunate to beat bottom-of-the-league Norwich City before Christmas, then lucky to escape with a draw against an equally-embattled Newcastle after it. Now, to usher in the new year, their comeuppance came against a side that had scored once in their last six games and twice in their last eight before Joao Moutinho’s late winner.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are having an uncertain season, having made a solid start only to suffer that scoring slump of recent weeks and months, but Bruno Lage has the highlight of his first year in charge so far: a win at Old Trafford that, on the balance of play, could have come a lot earlier. Aside from a brief United revival midway through the second half, Wolves were by far the better side, creating several chances yet, true to form, failing to put them away.

That was until Moutinho’s intervention, a low, drilled shot with eight minutes remaining after the returning Phil Jones failed to adequately clear Adama Traore’s cross beyond the edge of the penalty area. Follow all the match reaction below:

Man United vs Wolves

• 5:30pm GMT kick-off
• Phil Jones makes first Premier League start for two years
• Podence and Trincao join Jimenez in Wolves attack
• 68’ - Ronaldo heads in but is flagged offside, just one minute after Fernandes hits woodwork
• 75’ - Saiss strikes crossbar from a direct free-kick
• 82’ - Moutinho fires in the opener from the edge of the box

[3 January 2022 19:20 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 0 - 1 Wolves

90 mins: There’s five minutes of added time to play. That’s a joke if you’re a Wolves fan but it gives Manchester United time to get themselves an equaliser. Can they do it?

[3 January 2022 19:18 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 0 - 1 Wolves

87 mins: Shaw bundles Fabio Silva over wide on Wolves’ right side and Bruno Lage takes the opportunity to make another change. Leander Dendoncker comes on for Daniel Podence.

A few more vital seconds go out of the game before Wolves cut the free kick back to Nelson Semedo.

[3 January 2022 19:16 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 0 - 1 Wolves

84 mins: Anthony Elanga is on for Man Utd replacing Aaron Wan-Bissaka as Man Utd have to go for it now. Ronaldo gives it away high up the pitch and Wolves fly forward through Traore. He carries the ball into the right side of the box but his cutback is poor and United recover the ball.

[3 January 2022 19:12 · Michael Jones]

GOAL! Man Utd 0 - 1 Wolves, (Moutinho, 82’) ⚽️

82 mins:Breakthrough! Huge goal for Wolves! Ruben Neves flicks the ball over to Adama Traore on the right wing. He runs at Luke Shaw and crosses the ball into the box. Phil Jones heads it out of the box but Joao Moutinho brings it down and guides a low effort into the bottom left-hand corner! Lovely finish from the Wolves midfielder. Will that be the winning goal?

[3 January 2022 19:11 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 0 - 0 Wolves

81 mins: Fabio Silva is on for the last 10 minutes or so replacing Raul Jimenez who takes his time to walk off the pitch.

[3 January 2022 19:09 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 0 - 0 Wolves

78 mins: Close! Neves sends a diagonal pass out to Marcal who’s up the pitch and in space. He carries the ball down the left wing and swings a teasing cross in towards the back post. Jimenez nips in front of Shaw but the Man Utd left-back gets a leg to the ball and turns it behind for a corner.

[3 January 2022 19:05 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 0 - 0 Wolves

75 mins: Off the bar! Romain Saiss takes the free kick and goes for goal. He beats the ball and smokes a left-footed effort into the crossbar. De Gea had it covered though and withdrew his hand at the last moment to let the ball bounce into the upright.

Marcus Rashford is on in place of Jadon Sancho for the home side.

[3 January 2022 19:04 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 0 - 0 Wolves

72 mins: Fernandes switches the play out to Sancho on the left side. He brings the ball down and runs at Semedo who wins the ball for Wolves. He sends it up to Traore who flies up the pitch. Matic comes across and cynically hacks him down before he reaches the penalty area, earning himself a yellow card in the process.

[3 January 2022 19:00 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 0 - 0 Wolves

69 mins: Man Utd have sparked into life! They win a free kick that Fernandes flicks into the box. He picks out Ronaldo who heads it into the back of the net from inside the six-yard box but is immediately flagged offside and VAR doesn’t need too long to check it.

Ronaldo gets another chance a minute later as he breaks forward from the left and brings the ball into the box. He rolls it onto his right foot and shoots but skews the effort wide of the back post.

[3 January 2022 18:58 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 0 - 0 Wolves

66 mins: Bruno Lage’s first change sees Adama Traore come on for Francisco Trincao, he’ll have about 25 minutes to break the deadlock for Wolves.

Off the bar! Sancho sends a throw in into the left side of the box as Nemanja Matic makes a forward run. He collects the ball and pulls it back to Fernandes who is wide open in the box. Fernandes shoots and smokes it into the bar!

How has he not scored?! That’s the best chance of the game.