Analysis: Wolves need new signings to help ease the load
The romance of the FA Cup might not have been alive in this tie but, surprisingly, this bore draw will go down as an important date in Wolves’ calendar as it highlighted the need for recruitment at Molineux.
The minute the team sheet hit the printers, the Patrick Cutrone exit drama was ignited once again.
And though this game was a hint, if not confirmation, that his future lies away from Wolverhampton, the biggest thing we learned was the importance of trio Raul Jimenez, Joao Moutinho and Jonny Castro-Otto to this Wolves squad.
Jimenez had looked tired in the 2-1 defeat at Watford, and with the games coming thick and fast this festive period it made sense for Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo to rest him for this Cup clash.
You could argue that it was evident from the off that neither Nuno or Manchester United chief Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wanted a Cup run as they both rang the changes.
The lacklustre performance of keep-ball, too, stressed that neither side were keen to waste their energy on this Cup clash.
Ironic, then, that this lacklustre stalemate would eventually add another game to both side’s hectic schedules.
Nuno gave some youngsters a run-out in the Carabao Cup, but for this clash he ensured the majority of his first team remained for this 30,000-strong crowd.
It was a chance to see if that Liverpool connection between Ruben Vinagre and Pedro Neto was a one-off, and another chance to switch versatile duo Leander Dendoncker and Romain Saiss’s positions.
Number two keeper John Ruddy made a rare appearance, with Vinagre, Ruben Neves, Benny Ashley-Seal and Max Kilman all named in the starting line-up.
Centre-half Ryan Bennett, Rui Patricio, Moutinho, Jimenez and Jonny all moved to the bench.
With Jesus Vallejo’s exit imminent and Cutrone also understood to be heading for the door, this was a chance for Kilman and Ashley-Seal to show Nuno there was no need to go shopping this January.
While Kilman held his own at the back once again, it was another one of the defensive trio that highlighted the need to recruit in that area.
Dendoncker has lacked consistency since moving to the right of the back three in October.
But this festive schedule has seen him push back up to midfield and another reshuffle saw him wobble on Saturday.
His return to defence in the latter stages at Watford helped Wolves tighten up, but he was shaky from the off starting on the right of this back three on Saturday.
His performance was summed up by the VAR penalty shout from Brandon Williams in the first half.
Dendoncker clumsily tangled with the United man and left himself in trouble, he was just fortunate Williams did not have control of the ball as the officials ruled no foul.
He just appeared to have got his bearings wrong, easily done given the amount of role swapping in recent weeks.
Willy Boly’s return from an ankle injury is going well, but Bennett’s performance at Watford and this showing from Dendoncker highlight the need to recruit in central defence.
God forbid something happens to Conor Coady, who was on hand again to mop up for Dendoncker when United unleashed Marcus Rashford in the closing stages.
The Wolves skipper needs more protection if Wolves are to challenge teams like United come May.
