What a fitting way to end 2025 for Manchester United.
Yes, the year that included the club’s worst-ever Premier League finish was rounded off in limp fashion on Tuesday evening, with Ruben Amorim’s side held to a dismal 1-1 draw with bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
For the fourth time in the last five league games at Old Trafford, United walked away without a win, with this latest performance almost a carbon copy of those drab outings against Everton and West Ham United in recent weeks.
A scrappy strike from Joshua Zirkzee had opened the scoring for the hosts in fortuitous fashion, albeit with the away side securing a deserved equaliser just before the break, just as had been the case at Molineux in the reverse fixture.
That prior meeting had seen Amorim’s men respond to romp to a 4-1 win in the end, but – without the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Mason Mount – there was to be no such success this time around, with the manager’s tactical set-up again firmly under the microscope.
Why Amorim must be blamed for Wolves draw
The life of a manager, not least at Old Trafford, is difficult enough, with the best course of action seemingly doing everything in your power to make life easier where possible.
Unfortunately for Amorim, the Portuguese coach has a tendency to overcomplicate and overcompensate, making problems for his side that are his own doing.
Yes, the Red Devils were again without a string of first-team stars, yet having settled on a winning formula against Newcastle United, the 40-year-old bizarrely changed course for the visit of the Old Gold.
After so much talk pre-match regarding the shift toward a back four, the sight of a return to a back five had those watching on scratching their heads, with Boxing Day hero Patrick Dorgu shunted back onto the left flank.
That left almost a void on the right, with the aforementioned Zirkzee so often moving into the centre instead, while Diogo Dalot was hardly an outlet at all behind him, with much of United’s attacks coming down the opposite wing.
Up against a side yet to win a Premier League game this season, Amorim opted to deploy a back five with two sitting midfielders, with such a dour display having been almost inevitable when the teamsheet dropped.
Hopefully, with a New Year looming, that will be the last time such a setup will be deployed, with the 3-4-3 not the only thing Amorim needs to leave behind in 2026.
Man Utd duo must never start together again after Wolves
When the two sides met in that 4-1 triumph earlier this month, United certainly weren’t perfect, although Amorim’s creative talents came to the fore, with Mbeumo, Fernandes and Mount all getting on the score sheet.
The absence of the latter duo, in particular, was keenly felt this time around, with the former Sporting CP boss also hamstrung by the loss of Kobbie Mainoo to injury ahead of the meeting with the Magpies on Friday.
It could be argued then that Amorim was almost forced into deploying a midfield pairing of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte, although the United boss can hardly have been surprised by what followed, after selecting two such defensive-minded options in the centre of the park.
The void left by Fernandes was simply glaring, with Ugarte – who was withdrawn late on as the home side chased a winner – looking so limited again in possession, regularly producing an errant pass or turning into trouble.
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In all, the Uruguayan lost the ball nine times and failed to provide a single key pass, as per Sofascore, with his South American colleague faring little better, as the £470k-per-week duo were dribbled past three times between them on the night.
FFC’s Man Utd Player Ratings vs Wolves
Player
Rating
GK – Senne Lammens
7
RWB – Diogo Dalot
5
RCB – Ayden Heaven
6
CB – Lisandro Martinez
6
LCB – Luke Shaw
6
LWB – Patrick Dorgu
6
CM – Casemiro
5
CM – Manuel Ugarte
4
RAM – Joshua Zirkzee
6
LAM – Matheus Cunha
5
ST – Benjamin Sesko
6
Subs: J. Fletcher (4), Mantato (N/A), Yoro (N/A)
Of course, Casemiro should well have walked away with an assist after picking out an onside Benjamin Sesko with a delicious dinked pass, although it was difficult to shake the image of the 33-year-old labouring on the ball in the second half, having opted against playing in Matheus Cunha ahead of him.
The former Real Madrid hero has been a resurgent figure in 2025/26, yet his clear lack of athleticism really is a growing concern, having been dribbled past 1.1 times per game on average this season.
Out of contract in June, it looks ever more likely that his United career will be coming to an end in 2026, with the same perhaps true of Ugarte, who has been touted for a January move to Turkey to end his Manchester plight.
Either way, midfield reinforcements and replacements must surely be a necessity heading into next month, with this a midfield combination that Amorim can’t afford to turn to again.
Man Utd 1-1 Wolves: Gary Neville slams "bizarre" Ruben Amorim decision
It was an evening to forget for the Red Devils.
ByTom Cunningham