Wolves 2 : 1 Manchester United - Wolves pounce to stun United

Posted Saturday, February 05, 2011 by PA

The 41st goal of a record day for scoring in the Barclays Premier League ended Manchester United's 24-match unbeaten run in the top flight this season as Wolves claimed a stunning 2-1 win and another notable scalp at Molineux.

United's name can now go alongside Manchester City and Chelsea as title contenders who have lost at the Black Country venue after Wolves bounced back from an early goal, then repelled a fierce second-half pummelling.

By the final whistle, the Red Devils had lost their cool, reduced to the desperation of Paul Scholes trying to push the ball into the net with his hand to salvage a point.

It did not work and Wolves were able to celebrate thanks to a George Elokobi header, which levelled Nani's third-minute opener, and a winner whose scorer was disputed - Elokobi and Kevin Doyle both claiming they got the final touch to Nenad Milijas' 40th-minute free-kick.

Indeed, as the frenzied roar greeted the final whistle, it seemed somehow in keeping with an extraordinary day, that the top club should lose to the bottom, their lead at the top trimmed to four points over a team who themselves tossed away a four-goal lead.

Milijas had already narrowly failed with one effort before United went in front. There appeared little danger when Nani collected possession on the right flank. But Elokobi relaxed for a moment, the Portugal winger stepped inside and then beat Wayne Hennessey at his near post with a shot the Wolves goalkeeper should have kept out.

Wayne Rooney then failed to get enough power behind his shot after Dimitar Berbatov had threaded through an excellent pass, allowing Hennessey to make the save.

Wolves made the most of their reprieve when a loose ball from a corner was shovelled back out to Matt Jarvis and Elokobi beat Nemanja Vidic to the cross and headed into the bottom corner.

Chances continued to flow, with Nani, Ryan Giggs and Berbatov missing at one end while Doyle, Milijas and Jamie O'Hara did likewise at the other. O'Hara was denied by a superb feet-first save from Edwin van der Sar after he had tried his luck from an acute angle.

Wolves did not give up, and with United's defence looking vulnerable, it was no surprise that the hosts got their noses in front before the interval.

Milijas was the provider, floating an excellent free-kick deep into the United area. There was some confusion among the players over the identity of the scorer, although it went down as Elokobi's goal.

As the debate between Elokobi and Doyle raged after both claimed it, the unavoidable truth was that with the ball once again nestling in the bottom left-hand corner of Van der Sar's goal, Wolves were ahead.

Sir Alex Ferguson made one change at half-time and two more midway through the second period after Scholes' arrival had failed to trigger a comeback.

The exit of Berbatov was slightly surprising on two counts - first his goals, but also because Rooney was showing signs of blowing a fuse, his mood not helped by the booking he picked up for a late challenge on Ronald Zubar.

Christophe Berra threw himself in front of a Rooney blockbuster, emphasising the hosts' fighting spirit as they held out for a stunning win.

Scholes attempted to punch the ball in with his hand from a cross late on, but he was hauled back by the referee.