Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has blamed his players for their 2-1 loss to Wolves at the Molineux Stadium on Tuesday.
Wolves repeated their FA Cup victory over United thanks to a Chris Smalling own goal that gave them a 2-1 comeback win in a pulsating Premier League game.
The result left United, who were reduced to 10 men in the second half, fifth on 61 points, denting their hopes of ending the season in the top four and qualifying for next year’s Champions League.
And Solskjaer says: “We created our own downfall really... but for their keeper, we should have won this game.”
Indeed, United, who went down to 10 men from the 57th minute after Ashley Young was sent off for a second yellow card, had begun brightly.
RED: Ashley Young is sent off. Photo: ANDREW YATES/REUTERS
Romelu Lukaku saw a point-blank header saved by Rui Patricio, before Scottish midfielder Scott McTominay swept home a low 13th-minute shot from outside the box to make it 1-0.
Undaunted and fielding a strong team despite the distraction of an FA Cup semifinal against Watford on Sunday, Wolves quickly settled down and got back into the match.
WHAT THE DEVIL: Solskjaer. Photo: ANDREW BOYERS/REUTERS
Portuguese striker Diogo Jota hit a deserved equaliser from close range in the 25th minute after a nervy-looking Fred had lost control and Raul Jimenez threaded the ball into the area.
But the game turned with Young’s sending off for a second yellow card after a reckless hack on Jota.
That enabled Wolves to pour forward, and in the 77th minute, they got the winner when Smalling inadvertently prodded the ball over his own line after a goalmouth scramble.