United hit top gear in rout of Wolves but wary Ferguson demands more
WOLVES (0) vs MANCHESTER UTD (5)
MANCHESTER UNITED surged four points clear at the top of the Premier League following a crushing win over relegation-haunted Wolves yesterday, but their manager Sir Alex Ferguson still believes the title race will go down to the wire.
Following their Europa League exit on Thursday, United took out their frustration on a Wolves side who slipped to the bottom of the table following their second five-goal battering in their last three games.
Jonny Evans prodded United ahead in the 21st minute – breaking his 118-game duck for the club – before Ronald Zubar’s sending off for two yellow card offences in the space of 11 minutes prompted the floodgates to open.
Antonio Valencia and Danny Welbeck struck before the interval and a Javier Hernandez second half brace completed a rout that sent out an ominous warning to United’s title rivals Manchester City – not that Ferguson was willing to get carried away with his side’s display.
“The performance was okay, I don’t think it was anything special,” he said. “I expect the title race to go to the wire, always hope for the best and expect the worst.
“There are only nine games left now, it is just a matter of games getting cut off one by one and hopefully we achieve what we want to achieve.
“What’s significant today is its reduced the goal difference by five goals and that’s down to three now and it may make a difference at the end of the season.”
United had lost twice in their three previous visits to Molineux but never looked in danger of not collecting maximum points from the moment Evans steered them ahead.
“The last three visits we have lost twice, and that is a great turnaround for us,” added Ferguson. “I think as you always find here Wolves make it difficult for you.”