Manchester United will be looking to improve on their opening perofmance aginst Wolves as they prepare to face Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday

Manchester United may have started the season with a win but there are still puzzles for Erik ten Hag to solve after his side’s 1-0 victory over Wolves.

Raphael Varane’s header in the second half proved to be the difference on the night but newly-appointed Wolves boss Gary O’Neil would have felt aggrieved at leaving Old Trafford with nothing. United had a lucky escape thanks to Wolves’ toothlessness in front of a goal – and a controversy late penalty decision – while the Reds’ frontline had a similarly frustrating night.

Ten Hag  is now finalising his plan for the trip to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday (5.30pm kick-off) as Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou looks to mark his first home game with a statement win. The Manchester United manager will be focused on solving a few key problems as he looks to build some early momentum.

Midfield mystery

The most glaring problem for United was the way Wolves repeatedly glided through the Reds’ midfield. Casemiro was left stranded, time and again, as Wolves forward Matheus Cunha cut through United’s defensive lines, but the home side continued to push forward in search of an opening goal.

Ten Hag named an attack-minded starting XI as he looked to start the season with an emphatic win against a Wolves side, which, until kick-off, appeared to be down on their luck. However, the midfield trio of Casemiro, Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes did not have the desired effect.

Mount would have been eager to impress on his full debut but failed to influence the game with the ball, nor provide Casemiro with the defensive support he desperately craved. It will be interesting to see how Ten Hag opts to strike a better balance against a Spurs side, who even without Harry Kane, should carry a more potent threat than Wolves.

Striker solution

While Manchester United wait for young Rasmus Hojlund to recover from injury and make his mark at Old Trafford, Ten Hag has been forced to improvise. Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho were used in a central role during pre-season, with Anthony Martial also making his way back to match sharpness.

It was Rashford who got the nod as United’s striker against Wolves but it served as yet another reminder that the England international is best-suited elsewhere. In a game where United struggled for a creative spark, the team could have used some of Rashford’s magic from the left, where he scored the majority of his 30 goals last season.

It is now up to the manager whether he sticks with Rashford in the middle or turns to Jadon Sancho as a false nine in order to bring United’s star forward back to his best position.

Winger worry

Answers to both of the previous problems could lie out wide after Antony and Alejandro Garnacho failed to justify their starting berths. Blessed with competition for places on both wings, Ten Hag seemingly got it wrong on Monday night as both young forwards consistently chose the incorrect option, leading Rashford to become increasingly frustrated.

With Jadon Sancho and Facundo Pellistri sitting on the bench, the manager will be well aware he has other options. However, Ten Hag previously turned to Bruno Fernandes to fill on the right last season, while Mason Mount spent time as a left winger during his Chelsea days. Not to mention that Rashford will also be keen to get back out on the left channel.

One or two changes to Monday’s starting XI could spark a notable difference to the way United will line up against Spurs. That could be the difference between a repeat performance and the team that fans envisioned Ten Hag was building throughout the summer.