FA Cup 2018/2019 - 3 reasons why Wolves eliminated Manchester UnitedÂ
Manchester United suffered a crushing elimination from the FA Cup, losing 2-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineux.
The Red Devils have seen a massive upturn in fortune since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's arrival, hence this defeat would have come as a very bitter pill to swallow.
United have been paired with Barcelona in the quarterfinal of the Champions League, while they are way off the pace in the Premier League and as such, the FA Cup represented their best shot at winning a trophy this season
The victory over United was Wolves' first against the giants in the FA Cup since 1973 and saw them qualify for the semifinal for the first time since 1997/1998. In this piece, we shall be taking a look at three reasons why Wolves posted this shock victory over Manchester United
#3 United's surprising lack of tempo
Ever since Ole Gunner Solskjaer took over at Old Trafford, not only have United seen an improvement in results, they have also witnessed a massive upturn in playing pattern, with the team resorting to an attacking brand of football reminiscent of years of yore under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Most of the matches under the Norwegian manager have been characterized by a swift counterattacking style, with numerous players continuously operating at a high tempo, giving United an attacking swagger which had been lost in recent seasons.
However, against Wolves, United toiled and foiled in vain, posting a flat, dour performance which was more in tune with the gloomy days of Mourinho and looked nothing like the boisterous and vibrant team we have been watching in recent weeks,
Paul Pogba was a major culprit, as he was a long way off his usual standards, but the United captain on the day was far from being alone, as virtually all his teammates were also laborious, failing to match the high tempo posted by Wolves and struggling to test their host's defense.
This was unarguably the worst performance in the three months that Solskjaer has been in charge, leading to the club losing consecutive matches for the first time since December. Thankfully, United have a two-week break before they are back in action and the 46-year-old would do well to reinvigorate his squad by then.