Raphael Varane scored the winning goal as Manchester United secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Wolves at Old Trafford in their opening game of the new Premier League season on Monday evening.

Wolves’ manager Julen Lopetegui quit less than a week before the new season, but for long stretches at Old Trafford, they were the better team.

The visitors didn’t score until Varane headed the ball in with 14 minutes left. Before that, United’s new custodian, Andre Onana, and poor finishing kept them out.

Onana was lucky that VAR didn’t step in when he punched Sasa Kalajdzic as he flapped for a cross late in stoppage time.

Wolves manager Gary O’Neil said, “It looked like the keeper almost took our forward’s head off.” “It’s a foul, in my opinion. You go for the ball and hit the player that hard as you try to get it. It is a punishment.”

O’Neil also said that Jon Moss, the head of referees for the Premier League, had called him after the game to apologise for the call.

United held on to get off to a winning start, which was a big change from Erik ten Hag’s first two games when he was in charge.

But the way United played makes it hard to tell if they can really challenge for their first Premier League title in ten years.

“There is no easy game in the Premier League and definitely not Wolves,” said Ten Hag.

“You have to fight in every game. We hope we’ll be better on the ball in the next game.”

United fans hoped that a new owner would take over before the new season started, but the sale process seems to have stopped.

The home fans again showed their displeasure with the Glazer family as owners by protesting against the Americans before the game and chanting “We want the Glazers out” at the start of the game.

Even though there is still a lot of uncertainty, the Red Devils have spent a lot of money again this summer.

Ten Hag gave Onana and midfielder Mason Mount their first starts. However, new £64 million ($81 million) striker Rasmus Hojlund couldn’t play because he hurt his back.

Wolves, on the other hand, lost Lopetegui less than six days ago because they didn’t have enough money to buy him.

O’Neil took the place of the Spaniard who had to do what he did last season to keep Bournemouth in the Premier League.

Wolves didn’t look like a team in trouble because they were in charge of the game, but they didn’t have much of an edge up front.

The best chances of the first half were missed by Pablo Sarabia and Matheus Cunha.

At the start of the second half, Cunha got even closer. When he hit the outside of the post when the goal was wide open, the Brazilian should have scored.

Wolves’ budget has been cut because they have to pay Atletico Madrid £44 million to buy Cunha this summer.

But the 24-year-old showed why he could still be worth that much with a run through the middle of United’s midfield and a low shot that Onana blocked.

Pedro Neto was the next player to miss a great chance. He shot straight at Onana when he only had to beat the Cameroonian.

When Varane nodded in 15 minutes from the end, it was because the Wolves had wasted chances in front of the goal.

The pass from Bruno Fernandes found Aaron Wan-Bissaka, whose lofted cross found the French center-back, who headed the ball into an open net.

Wolves could have still come back to get a point that they more than deserved.

Onana blocked Fabio Silva twice with his legs before the former Inter Milan custodian messed up when he flapped at a cross and knocked Kalajdzic out of the game.