By Victor Kanayo
Super-sub Marcus Rashford came from the bench to earn Manchester United a 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday December 31, 2022.
The crucial win has now moved Erik ten Hag’s side into the English Premier League (EPL) top four.
Ten Hag left the club’s top goalscorer on the bench from the start due to an “internal disciplinary issue”, and saw his team struggle to break down Wolves in the opening period, youngster Alejandro Garnacho wasting the visitors’ best chance.
Rashford came on for the second half to give United more cutting edge in attack, showing great strength and composure to hold off his marker and fire the winner 14 minutes from time.
The England forward had another ruled out for handball late on, but it mattered little as United saw out their third league win in a row to move above Tottenham Hotspur, who play Aston Villa on New Year’s Day, into fourth. Wolves stay 18th.
Fresh from their biggest league win of the season last time out – a 3-0 success over Nottingham Forest – United did not make the most of their first-half opportunities at Molineux.
Later same day, Manchester City dropped points in their pursuit to retain EPL title after Everton that paraded Nigeria’s Super Eagles star Alex Iwobi held them to a 1-1 draw.
It was Demarai Gray’s second wonder strike that earned Everton a valuable point at the Etihad Stadium.
With the outcome of the evening encounter, current EPL leaders Arsenal getting ready to face Brighton on Saturday night, now have further advantage at the summit.
In another match, bottom side Southampton with another Nigerian international Joe Aribo succumb to devastating 1-2 defeat in the hands of Fulham.
The game between Bournemouth and Crystal Palace ended 0-2 in favour of the later.
