Match report: Wolves 3 Man United 4

Erik ten Hag's team made a blistering start to the match, with Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund both scoring in the opening 25 minutes.

Wolves halved our advantage in the 70th minute, with a penalty from Pablo Sarabia, only for Scott McTominay to nod home a third just minutes later.

In what appeared to be an agonising late twist, Max Kilman and Pedro Neto dragged the score back to 3-3 in the final stages, only for Mainoo's late masterpiece to rescue all three points for United, in what we are contractually obliged to refer to as 'Fergie-time'. 

CLOSE TO PERFECTION

When Erik ten Hag's eyes shut and his dreams began last night, he could scarcely have cooked up a more perfect start than the one his side put together. Nor could Marcus Rashford.

It's been a testing last week for United's local hero, but a pinpoint first-time finish in the fifth minute was the perfect riposte to recent events. The goal derived from slick work on the right from Garnacho and Dalot, and when the latter clipped the ball into Rasmus Hojlund, around the penalty spot, the Dane continued his blossoming relationship with Rashford by providing the ideal tee-up for his colleague's fine shot.

To the delight of the travelling Red Army, United's sinuous, controlled play continued throughout the first 45. And after a few off-target Casemiro efforts following composed build-up play, Hojlund deservedly made it two in the 22nd minute.

The Dane's finish was somewhat fortunate, but his run to the near post earned his luck. When Rashford slipped the overlapping Shaw in on the left of the penalty box, Hojlund anticipated what would come next superbly.

He slid in to meet the left-back's fizzing low centre, and despite a bit of a stramash with Wolves defender Craig Dawson and the opposition goalkeeper Jose Sa, the ball pinballed in off Hojlund's foot.

There was much more still to come before the whistle: Casemiro headed just wide, Hojlund almost earned a goal from closing Sa down, Fernandes skewed a great chance wide when set up by Garnacho, and then Varane blasted over. And there was still time for the linesman to rule out two 'goals' for offside, by Hojlund and Casemiro, respectively.

It's not often you head in disappointed when you're two goals to the good on an away trip, but disappointment was probably the overriding emotion as the players walked back to the dressing room.

A BONKERS SECOND HALF

Incredibly, Wolves's generosity continued after the restart, though still United could not find the three-goal advantage that might have finished the contest.

But first there was the first major defensive contribution of the night from a Reds perspective: Lisandro Martinez making a sensational clearance when Max Kilman headed Pedro Neto's free-kick goalwards, with Andre Onana beaten.

After that, the chances flowed again: Casemiro headed straight at Sa, then the Wolves goalkeeper made a great close-range save from Hojlund.

Finally, around the hour-mark, Wolves, buoyed by the home crowd's encouragement, began to exert some sustained pressure. Onana's face managed to divert Dawson's deflected shot away from danger, before Cunha and Doyle shot over.

And our own profligacy in front of goal was finally punished shortly after that flurry of Wolves activity, when Casemiro was penalised for an alleged clip on Neto inside the box. A lengthy VAR delay followed, but the penalty was upheld, despite no evidence of anything other than a wafer-thin tickle. Sarabia converted, but but drama was only just beginning. Within minutes, Scott McTominay– on for the yellow-carded Casemiro – headed home Bruno Fernandes's corner with his very first touch.

There were more twists to come: Kilman stabbed home from within the six-yard box and then, agonisingly – after yet more United chances – Neto's strike was deflected past Onana in the fifth minute of nine. Heartbreak. But only for a minute. Because the last, final and most beautiful twist was still to come, when Kobbie Mainoo picked the ball up in the inside-left channel, ghosted past two, and curled the most delectable shot past Sa, off the post and in.

Delirium reigned in the United end, and in the United dug out and, of course, on the field as even some of the subs ran on to join the celebrations. But most importantly, the right result had – just – been achieved, through the precocious 18-year-old Mainoo's greatest piece of work to date.