Liam Keen comment: A platform to build from as Wolves end 2025 with an important point

Wolves were good value for the point at Manchester United - despite some difficulties with the team selection - and Rob Edwards has a platform to build from.

Makeshift

Wolves already had several players unavailable due to injury and the Africa Cup of Nations and throwing in Andre's suspension and Santi Bueno's dead leg knock made it an even tougher task for the head coach.

Ladislav Krejci seemed like the obvious candidate to move into midfield - and perhaps that would have happened if S.Bueno was available - but instead Edwards took the extremely bold decision to play two attacking players as number eights, with just one recognised midfielder in Joao Gomes.

One of them in Mateus Mane is an inexperienced 18-year-old and the other, Jhon Arias, has desperately struggled to adapt to English football since moving in the summer.

It says a lot about the state of the squad and previous recruitment when these decisions are taken, but both Mane and Arias deserve credit for their application.

They worked extremely hard covering a lot of ground, did the defensive work well, but also offered attacking quality on the transition with the intelligent positions they took up.

In addition, a lack of options meant Matt Doherty had to play in the unfamiliar role of the central centre-back in a back three and he used all his experience and positioning to do a very good job on Benjamin Sesko.

Overall it was an important and well-earned point from a makeshift starting XI.

Goals

Wolves are the lowest scorers in the top four divisions of English football, but they took their tally to 11 with Krejci's equaliser at Old Trafford.

That fact is telling in itself and is backed up when you consider that centre-backs S.Bueno and Krejci are Wolves' leading goalscorers this season with two each.

Despite losing seven on the bounce under Edwards before the point on Tuesday night, Wolves have been in games more under the new boss and better defensively on the whole.

But what has not changed is the lack of creativity and ruthlessness in the final third and that must be addressed in the January transfer window.

Other clubs are circling for Wolves' best players, including out of form striker Jorgen Strand Larsen, and Wolves need to make changes to help gain some momentum, regardless of which division they find themselves in.

Fans

Wolves supporters have rightly been furious with the results they have had to endure so far this season.

But there was some respite from that at Old Trafford as the losing run came to an end.

The supporters were superb all evening and drowned out the home crowd, even when Wolves were losing 1-0, and it proves the level of support this club maintains.

At full-time they were delighted with a point and it is no surprise after so many defeats.

Edwards and his players were able to enjoy a nice moment and show of togetherness with the fans, as the supporters chanted and cheered for the team. The new Mane chant to the tune of Zombie by The Cranberries was widely used, too.

But this positivity will count for very little if they do not follow it up against West Ham at Molineux this weekend in a huge match.