FA Cup: Manchester United failed to register a single shot on target while Manchester City were at their clinical best with a 4-1 win over Port Vale.
Manchester United failed to break down a resilient Wolves defence as they were held to a goalless draw in the third round of the FA Cup at Molineux. The visitors had the better chances in a cagey affair, but could not find a way past John Ruddy, who made a superb save to deny Anthony Martial in the second half. Wolves also had their moments, with Pedro Neto hitting the post and Raul Jimenez forcing a fine stop from Dean Henderson, but neither side could produce the quality needed to win the game.
The result means that both teams will have to play a replay at Old Trafford, adding to their already congested fixture list. United will be hoping to avoid a repeat of last season, when they were knocked out by Wolves at the same stage of the competition. Wolves, meanwhile, will be aiming to reach the fourth round for the third consecutive year.
Both managers made several changes to their starting line-ups, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer resting some of his key players and Nuno Espirito Santo rotating his squad after a busy festive period. The changes affected the fluency and cohesion of both teams, as they struggled to create clear-cut opportunities in the first half. The best chance fell to Mason Greenwood, who fired over from close range after a clever flick by Juan Mata.
The second half was more lively, as both sides increased their intensity and urgency. Martial had a golden opportunity to put United ahead, but his low shot was brilliantly tipped around the post by Ruddy. Wolves responded with a quick counter-attack, which ended with Neto's curling effort hitting the woodwork. Jimenez then tested Henderson with a powerful strike from inside the box, but the United keeper was equal to it.
The final minutes saw both teams pushing for a winner, but neither could find the decisive touch. United had a penalty appeal turned down after Brandon Williams went down under a challenge from Leander Dendoncker, while Wolves saw a late goal ruled out for offside after Matt Doherty headed in from Neto's cross. The final whistle confirmed that the tie would go to a replay, leaving both managers with mixed feelings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------