Rio Ferdinand gives 'two word' verdict on horror defending against Wolves

Manchester United suffered another calamitous blow from a corner kick and Rio Ferdinand has given his verdict.

Ruben Amorim's side conceded directly from a corner for the second time in just a week, as they fell to a Boxing Day defeat against Wolves.

The decisive moment came in the second half when Matheus Cunha’s in-swinging effort from the set-piece bypassed everyone, including United goalkeeper Andre Onana, to nestle in the back of the net.

Adding to United’s misery, captain Bruno Fernandes had been sent off just 10 minutes earlier for a second yellow card, leaving the visitors with 10 men.

The corner was delivered from United’s defensive right-hand side, with Onana positioned centrally on his goal line. Despite the goalkeeper's protests of being fouled, no infringement was given, and Cunha's strike stood.

Former United defender Rio Ferdinand appeared to express his frustration with the situation via social media, simply writing "No comment" on X after watching his former team’s continued struggles with set-pieces.

Cunha’s goal came at a crucial time when Wolves were beginning to dominate. He later assisted Hwang Hee-chan’s 99th-minute goal, sealing the 2-0 victory and extinguishing any hopes of a United comeback.

At the time of Cunha’s goal, Wolves had positioned two attackers strategically close to Onana, effectively isolating him from his defenders and exploiting United's defensive frailty.

This marked United’s third consecutive defeat across all competitions, following a 3-0 loss to Bournemouth in the Premier League and a 4-3 exit to Tottenham in the Carabao Cup. Heading into the clash with Wolves, United had already conceded a staggering 17 goals from set-pieces this season—a club record.

Cunha, who had earlier attempted a cheeky free-kick that was saved, spoke after the match about Wolves' intense preparation for such situations.

“I feel so happy,” said Cunha. “We didn’t start the season well, we come together, we suffer together, and we score together. You can see how happy the fans are. [Vitor Pereira] came here with a lot of energy, and he said it was his dream to come here and manage a team in the Premier League. You can see the energy."

When asked if he had ever scored directly from a corner before, Cunha admitted: "No, first time. We train it a lot—we try to manage the goalkeeper, and we did it so well. I’m so happy. The first half I did one, and it was saved. In the second half, I got some luck."

Reflecting on his assist for Hwang’s goal, Cunha added: “Channy says to me every day, ‘Pass to me and I’ll score,’ and I’m so happy because I got the chance to pass to him, and he scored.”

United now face a daunting task to bounce back against Newcastle, while Wolves, riding the wave of their resurgence, will next test themselves against a Tottenham side also in search of redemption.