Marcus Rashford 7, Bruno Fernandes 7; Roman Saiss 8, Pedro Neto 5: Manchester United v Wolves player ratings

United just two points behind leaders Liverpool after another victory

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  MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: David de Gea, 7 - Two fine saves from Saiss in either half, the first a flick, though the second was offside. Knocked to ground after challenge from Traore – after another late save. Sharp when needed. Getty

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  Aaron Wan-Bissaka, 5 - Barely involved in the first half and tough against the pace of Traore. Tackles fine, but the best full backs cross the ball well. Wan Bissaka needs to get to that level. Getty

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  Eric Bailly, 7 - Dispossessed by Traore in a shaky start but broke up play and settled. Fast and strong, needs regular games without injuries or costly errors. He’s getting them. EPA

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  Harry Maguire, 7 - Key block as Neto raced towards De Gea’s goal before half time. Fine late ball to Rashford. Tidied up after a late De Gea save by bringing the ball away from his goal. EPA

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  Alex Telles, 6 - Started day clearing snow from his car and ended it getting stood on. Welcome to England. Stronger going forward and heavily involved, but came off at half time. EPA

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  Nemanja Matic, 6 - Neat, reliable and an important, experienced player in a team which needs them. Strong and stable against a foe who were exactly that – even though they’d played their previous game only 48 hours earlier. Reuters

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  Paul Pogba, 7 - Busy game with shots on target, constant probing and searching. Some superb challenges and winning possession back. Combined well with Fernandes after 78 to set up Martial. More effective when further forward. EPA

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  Bruno Fernandes, 7 - Best first half chance as he sneaked in towards the back post against the side he made his United debut against almost 11 months ago. He’s improved United and never stopped trying to create, even after losing the ball or being responsible for a move breaking down. Got his reward when Rashford finished his fine late pass from deep to send United up to second. Reuters

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  Mason Greenwood, 6 - Set up Fernandes with superb cross and exciting when on the ball but still to hit the form of last season when he over performed. Needs goals, but being part of a team that is becoming a never say die winning machine will do him no harm. EPA

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  Marcus Rashford, 7 - Key winner after a game when he, like his team, took time to get going. Booked after 50 minutes. Lovely first touch after controlling a Maguire ball which came to nothing, but delivered when needed after a fine Fernandes ball. Knew his marker had cramp so he twisted and turned and then shot for his 14th of the season. AP

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  Edinson Cavani, 6 - Deserved his start but aside from a header in the first half, worked with limited service. Swept ball in after 69 minutes but offside. Gives side something they don’t have. EPA

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  SUBS: Luke Shaw, 7 - On at HT for Telles. Tackled well, got forward and was busy as his side upped the tempo in search of a winner. AP

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  Anthony Martial, 6 - On for Greenwood after 64 minutes. Bright and ran at Wolves’ defence. Had time to hit a shot on target after set up by Pogba and Fernandes, but struck ball high over. Needs to find his best form but Cavani means he doesn’t have to start when out of form. AP

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  Scott McTominay, N/R - On for Fernandes in the 94th minute. EPA

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  WOLVES RATINGS: Rui Patricio, 6 – Largely untroubled despite Marcus Rashford’s last-gasp finish which gave him no chance. Earlier, he had thwarted Paul Pogba with a smart save to his left and had just about kept out Bruno Fernandes’ close-range attempt. EPA

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  Ki-Jana Hoever, 6 - Struggled to contain Rashford who nutmegged him for good measure, but got his own back as the latter went into the book for hauling him down. He was caught unawares as Fernandes snuck in at the back post, but improved as the game went on. PA

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  Romain Saiss, 8 – Wolves’ man of the match, he threw his body in front of everything in an excellent display, but he was helpless as Rashford’s strike cruelly cannoned in off the defender, who had also caused problems at the other end with a looping header that dipped on to the bar. AP

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  Conor Coady, 6 - Wolves’ skipper will have had a few hearts in mouths when he tangled with Rashford in the box and Coady will have been relieved again as the same man headed over the bar after climbing above him. Getty

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  Max Kilman, 7 – Only a second appearance of the month for the defender, who was caught scrambling as Edinson Cavani and Bruno Fernandes attacked a Nemanja Matic cross either side of him, but he responded well and was excellent thereafter. PA

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  Rayan Ait-Nouri, 5 - The wing-back had the sprawling de Gea at full stretch to keep out his drilled effort across the face of goal, but he unforgivably allowed Rashford to find the inside and his deflected strike finally breached the visiting defence. PA

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  Ruben Neves, 6 - Drew the best out of David de Gea with a fierce drive which had to be beaten away by the United stopper, and he produced another important contribution at the other end to hook away Fernandes’ free-kick. EPA

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  Vitinha, 6 - Worried de Gea when the Spaniard could only gather his effort at the second attempt. A few yards either side and he might have crafted the opener, as was the case a few moments prior when he couldn’t quite find Adama Traore’s run. A decent display though. Reuters

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  Joao Moutinho, 6 - The Portugal man is a master of precision and he created panic in the box with a deep free-kick that resulted in Romain Saiss’ header clipping the top of the bar, although beyond that he was quiet. EPA

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  Adama Traore, 7 - Deployed as the second striker rather than his usual wide role, but the flying forward was equally effective and gave the United defenders plenty to think about with some penetrating runs in behind, although Pedro Neto couldn’t pick him out. AP

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  Pedro Neto, 5 - Drew the first save of the night from de Gea with a curling effort but it was comfortable for the ‘keeper and, despite plenty of graft, it just didn’t quite happen for him on this occasion. AP

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  SUBS: Daniel Podence, 5 - Replaced the young Vitinha in the 55th minute but his first involvement saw his pull-back towards Neto easily snuffed out by Matic. AFP

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  Fabio Silva, 5 - Replaced the unusually ineffective Neto for the final quarter of the game but he didn’t have too much impact. Getty

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remained coy about Manchester United's title hopes after Marcus Rashford's last-gasp effort against Wolves propelled them up to second in the Premier League.

A topsy-turvy year that started with supporters calling for the heads of executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and the Glazer family ended with the Red Devils winning at an empty Old Trafford to move just two points behind leaders Liverpool.

United's mentality has been key to their improvements during 2020, with Solskjaer's men digging deep to seal a 1-0 win against Wolves through Rashford's deflected late strike.

Asked at what point he and the players acknowledge they are in a title race, the United boss said: "There's no title race after 15 games.

"You can lose the chance of being in a race in the first 10 games, of course you can.

"But play another 15, get to 30 and then maybe we can start talking about a title race, when you get to March or April, when we have at least played more than half a season.

"But the belief is there. Of course the players go into every game thinking we can win against anyone anywhere.

"Away we've shown what we're capable of. I think we're improving at home as well and this result is massive for confidence and for the attitude."

Player ratings from the match can be seen in the gallery above. To view the next image, click on the arrows or swipe on the picture.