- Scholes (72)
- Date:2010-03-06
- Kick-off:17:30
- Venue:Molineux Stadium
- Attendance:28883
- Referee:Walton, P
Live Commentary
90mins
FULL TIME: WOLVES 0-1 MAN UTD. Paul Scholes' 100th Premier League goal proved enough for United but Sam Vokes' shocking late miss let them off the hook here.
90mins
Oh dear! Big chance missed by Vokes. The ball is squared to the young striker who somehow lifts the ball over from the edge of the six-yard box. A huge let off for United and the Wolves fans can't believe it.
90mins
We are into stoppage time now and United look like holding on.
88mins
Wolves making their final change now as Sam Vokes replaces Matt Jarvis.
87mins
Almost on cue Kevin Doyle brings the ball down in the box and tries to curl into the far corner and is only a matter of inches away of succeeding.
86mins
Is there going to be a sting in the tail here? United have missed a host of chances since taking the lead and it could cost them.
84mins
A double change for the hosts now as Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Andy Keogh replace Adlene Guedioura and Stephen Ward.
83mins
United are all over Wolves now and Park Ji-Sung is the latest to get a shot in on goal but it flies over with Hahnemann well placed to save in any case.
81mins
Another chance for Diouf as he drives into the penalty box but fires wide of the far post.
78mins
It should be two! United seem to be playing with new found freedom having taken the lead and Valencia skips away from his marker to find Diouf who should score with his head from six yards out, but doesn't.
77mins
Kevin Doyle clears Valencia's corner to the edge of the box to Paul Scholes again but he fires over. Scholes' opener was his 100th Premier League goal incidentally.
75mins
That goal will send United top of the Premier League tonight and with Chelsea not playing they will stay there until the Blues play again. Unless the hosts can force an equaliser? They are certainly giving it their best shot.
73mins
Another change for United now as Park Ji-Sung replaces Nani on the left flank.
72mins
WOLVES 0-1 MAN UNITED. Big goal! Wolves fail to clear a simple cross and it drops to Paul Scholes twelve yards out and he makes no mistake by hammering home.
70mins
Berbatov is given offside and Gary Neville is asleep from the free-kick as Jarvis sneaks in behind him to fire narrowly wide.
67mins
The change in formation seems to have done little for the visitors so far as they try to settle down. Can they create a big big chance? Or are Wolves going to take a very famous point?
64mins
Wolves onto the attack now with the ball falling for Doyle in the box but Vidic is in the way to block the shot.
62mins
An attacking change for United now as Mame Biram Diouf replaces Darron Gibson.
61mins
Two quick fire bookings for Wolves as Jody Craddock and David Jones have their names taken.
59mins
The free-kick is hammered goalwards by David Jones and it forces a decent stop from Van Der Sar who watched it well.
58mins
The first booking of the afternoon is handed out to Nemanja Vidic.
57mins
The pressure is starting to mount now with United beginning to dominate and Gibson's cross is headed just wide by Nani.
54mins
The corner is only half cleared and Carrick drills in a shot from the edge of the box and Hahnemann is stranded as it flashes past the post.
53mins
Where did he come from? United seem to be going nowhere before Carrick lofts the ball through for Patrice Evra of all people who draws a superb stop from Hahnemann.
52mins
The second half is definitely a lot brighter than the first so far and Karl Henry is hte latest to have a bash at goal but Van Der Sar can watch it skid wide.
50mins
Gary Neville with a trademark burst down the right flank, bit slower these days though, but his cross is well cleared by Zubar.
48mins
Half chance for United as Valencia gets away down the right and cuts back towards Berbatov but Berra gets himself in the way of the shot.
48mins
Turns out Wes Brown is injured and Wolves have started the second half the brighter too.
46mins
The second half is underway at Molineux with Wolves looking to take something from a match many would have expected them to lose.
46mins
A change for United at the break as Gary Neville replaces Wes Brown - surely an injury involved there?
45mins
HALF TIME: WOLVES 0-0 MAN UTD. Not the best first half either side have played all season but Wolves will be happy enough. United are definitely missing Rooney's impetus.
44mins
Adlene Guedioura collects the ball about 35 yards from goal and drives at the back four but his shot is well blocked by Patrice Evra.
43mins
As we enter the last few minutes of the first half it has to be said that this has not been the most inspiring half of football I have seen all season.
40mins
Wolves are keeping a nice high line and it is working well for them so far with Berbatov not looking like getting in behind at all.
37mins
Talking of wing men, here is Nani with the ball on the left and he beats Ronald Zubar but Christophe Berra is on hand to flick the ball away from Valencia.
35mins
Matt Jarvis has had a good season for Wolves and he shows more good form to beat Wes Brown but Van Der Sar makes a good claim on the cross.
32mins
David Jones made a few first team appearances for United in his early career and he tries to show them what they are missing but Edwin Van Der Sar saves his shot.
30mins
Good effort. Another decent passing move from United with Berbatov laying the ball back for Michael Carrick whose shot is well parried by Hahnemann.
28mins
The visitors are starting to boss the game now with Wes Brown bursting forward on the right flank but his cross is poor and nobody near Berbatov.
26mins
Scholes and Carrick combine in the midfield to find Gibson bombing forward but the young Irishman drives just past the far post. Good effort.
23mins
More patient build up from the visitors - who can go top with victory tonight - but they do seem to be lacking the penetration and presence that Wayne Rooney gives them.
20mins
This has not been the most auspicious of starts with goalmounth action at a premium with long range efforts the order of the day thus far.
16mins
The hosts have made a decent start and they certainly don't look like cowering in the face of their opponents. Oh and Wayne Rooney is a doubt for Milan in midweek too.
13mins
Nani cuts in from the left hand side for United but he can't keep his shot down and Hahnemann just watches it over.
10mins
Valencia with United's first attempt of the match but the Ecuadorian hits his shot narrowly over.
7mins
First chance of the game falls for Kevin Doyle but the Wolves striker drives wide from the edge of the box.
3mins
Slow start here with United enjoying a bit of the ball but Wolves are getting themselves stuck in.
1mins
The game has kicked off and no Wayne Rooney for the Champions.
0mins
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Valencia, Gibson, Scholes, Carrick, Nani, Berbatov.
0mins
Wolverhampton: Hahnemann, Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Ward, Henry, Foley, Guedioura, David Jones, Jarvis, Doyle.
0mins
Sir Alex Ferguson's side won the Carling Cup last weekend but has lost Michael Owen for the season since and is sweating over star man Wayne Rooney's fitness. Will he make it?
0mins
Wolves were given a suspended fine for fielding a weakened team at Old Trafford earlier in the season but Mick McCarthy will be going all out for this one today.
0mins
Welcome to Molineux as Wolverhampton Wanderers entertain Manchester United.
Match Preview
A win for Manchester United at Wolves will take Sir Alex Ferguson's team back to the top of the Premier League table for the first time in exactly a month.
After defeating Wolves twice this season already, Ferguson will be confident of success at Molineux, a ground where United have not tasted victory in the league since 1982.
The reverse fixture at Old Trafford earlier in the season led to controversy when Wanderers manager Mick McCarthy rested 10 outfield players ahead of a crucial clash with Burnley five days later.
Despite beating the Clarets, Wolves have won just once more since and are currently keeping their noses out of the relegation zone on goal difference alone.
There seems little danger of such a rotation sensation this time round though and McCarthy should have a virtually full-strength squad to choose from with David Edwards and Michael Kightly due to return to action.
United's injury situation is trickier, with Michael Owen limping out of the Carling Cup Final and joining the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Anderson, John O'Shea and Ryan Giggs in the Old Trafford treatment room.
Man of the moment Wayne Rooney has scored 16 goals in his last 15 games as he moves ever closer to becoming the first Englishman since Kevin Phillips managed the feat ten years ago to reach 30 Premier League goals in a single season.
He may well need to keep up his scoring streak as United's defence has been less than secure in recent weeks, with just one shut-out in their last 10 away league games and none in the last six.
Wolves' Republic of Ireland international striker Kevin Doyle, fresh from facing Brazil in midweek, is confident the Molineux outfit can spring a surprise and repeat their win from the 2003/04 campaign.
"We've shown if we play well at home that we can get results against the likes of Tottenham and Liverpool. We know the situation we're in and everyone's on their toes and fighting for their Premier League lives," he said.
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Match Report
Paul Scholes scored the 100th Premier League goal of his career in a 1-0 victory over Wolves to move Manchester United two points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Scholes finally broke the resistance of a dogged Wolves side in the 72nd minute.
United made hard work of what was only the third win in their last seven away games as relegation-threatened Wolves more than held before Scholes struck.
In fact, Wolves will be wondering what might have been as Stephen Ward wasted a golden chance to give them a 35th minute lead after an impressive first-half display from Mick McCarthy's side.
Ultimately, their lack of a cutting edge was again their downfall as they failed to score for the 13th time in 28 league games this season.
Their problems in attack were summed up in added time when substitute Sam Vokes somehow failed to hit the target from six yards with only Edwin van der Sar to beat.
With United missing the injured Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen, Wolves looked set to hold out for what would have been a priceless point before Scholes struck.
But they were undone when they failed to deal with a cross from Nani and Scholes side-stepped a couple of challenges before beating Marcus Hahnemann from close range.
McCarthy's side were far from overawed by their illustrious opponents and made their intentions clear after five minutes when Kevin Doyle fired wide.
That did spark a spell of United pressure with Darron Gibson proving to be their dangerman.
He was inches wide in the 14th minute when he latched on to a Nani free-kick that had been deflected into his path by Dimitar Berbatov.
Former Wolves' loanee Gibson was then denied by Hahnemann before the Irishman shot wide when well placed.
But Wolves more than carried a threat of their own and Kevin Doyle was denied by van der Sar after a neat move involving Matt Jarvis and former United player Dave Jones.
Jarvis then teed up boyhood United fan Ward for the chance of the half in the 35th minute with a pinpoint left-wing cross.
Ward had ghosted forward from left-back to find himself on the edge of the six-yard box only to place his header straight into the hands of van der Sar.
It was a costly miss by Ward as United stepped up their game in the second half and it did seem only a matter of time before they broke the deadlock.
Patrice Evra should have put United in control when he just failed to turn home Gibson's pass from six yards.
Fortunately for United, Scholes proved to be more clinical as he put United firmly on course to retain their Premier League title and leave Wolves only out of the drop zone on goal difference.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Team
Manchester United Team
Wolverhampton Wanderers | Manchester United |
Corners
| 2 | 4 |
Fouls
| 10 | 8 |
Goal attempts
Shots off target
| 7 | 10 |
Offsides
| 0 | 1 |



90mins
Another chance for Vokes now as Keogh's ball into the box drops onto the striker's head but he can't direct it on target.