Shortly after Pedro Neto seemed to have secured a point for Wolves, Mainoo curled his first Premier League goal past Jose Sa.
After trailing 2-0 at the break and 3-1 on 85 minutes, Wolves managed to tie the score, but 18-year-old Mainoo gave United the victory when he scooped up the ball on the left, nutmegged Max Kilman, cut inside, and bent the ball into the bottom corner.
After missing the FA Cup fourth round due to illness and reportedly skipping training after a night out in Belfast, Marcus Rashford opened the score five minutes into his United comeback. Rasmus Hojlund then extended the lead.
With fifteen minutes remaining, immediately after substituting in the second half, Scott McTominay headed in a corner, seemingly making it safe for the visitors after Pablo Sarabia pulled one back from the penalty spot.
However, the late turmoil had only begun.
Kilman, the captain of Wolves, scored from close range from a corner to guarantee a thrilling conclusion.
Then, with United on the break in the sixth of nine additional minutes, Neto scored past an unsighted Andre Onana.
Wolves exulted, but their celebrations were short-lived as Mainoo emerged victorious in an incredible match.
Despite being the focus of a “internal disciplinary matter” according to the club, Rashford started for United at the start of the evening, drawing all eyes.
After it was revealed last week that the forward had been spotted in Northern Ireland nightclubs on Wednesday and Thursday before showing up to training sick on Friday, he was unable to play in Sunday’s victory over Newport County.
As Rashford has “taken responsibility,” according to Ten Hag, the “case closed”—and the England international most definitely did in the first five minutes.
Hojlund flicked back a low cross from the right to the edge of the area, and Rashford finished with style and composure to curl the ball past Sa. He then celebrated in front of the away crowd and was surrounded by teammates.
Luke Shaw and Rashford appeared to have rekindled their relationship as the England pair combined in the Wolves area before the left-back found Hojlund for the second. The Wolves defense failed to clear, and the striker glided in to finish from close range after Shaw’s low cross.
Rashford and United have had a difficult week, and Ten Hag has had to deal with a lot of inquiries on the forward’s future at Old Trafford.
As they dominated Wolves in the first forty-five minutes, it seemed as though the entire United team had been rejuvenated. Hojlund was unfortunate not to make it three when he charged down a Sa clearance, and the offside flag denied goals to both him and Casemiro.
But after the break, Wolves were able to tie the score, exposing United’s inconsistent play, and in the end, they had to depend on another academy product, Mainoo, to save them.
