PREMIERSHIP: Manchester Utd 1 - Wolves 0For the first time in Alex Ferguson's 17-year tenure Manchester United have won their opening three league fixtures, but that did not disguise the overwhelming sense of anti-climax from a laboured performance.

Cristiano Ronaldo's full debut was as crushing a disappointment as his first appearance had been exhilarating 10 days earlier and Ruud van Nistelrooy missed the opportunity to create a post-war record by scoring in an 11th successive game.

In the end, Ferguson will have been relieved that such a lacklustre display could end with any satisfaction whatsoever. That van Nistelrooy did not muster a single attempt at goal speaks volumes for the unexpected resilience United encountered from a side that had conceded nine goals in their first two league games.

Before the game van Nistelrooy had been presented with the Matt Busby player-of-the-year award but his night might have ended in ignominy had it not been for the apparent leniency of the referee, Graham Poll. Van Nistelrooy appeared to fling his elbow at Lee Naylor, catching the left-back in the face, only to escape punishment after pleading clumsiness.

The incident epitomised a perplexing first half for United in which they had initially threatened to overwhelm their opponents, taken the lead through John O'Shea's first goal for the club, then been increasingly frustrated by Wolves' ploy of containment and, on more than one occasion, appeared vulnerable in defence themselves.

Instead of capitulating after O'Shea's breakthrough, Wolves reacted with pride and had two real opportunities to score before half-time. Dave Jones will reflect on what might have been if they had fallen to a more assured player than Henri Camara.

By half-time, however, a sense of bewilderment was engulfing Old Trafford. Most puzzling was the metamorphosis of Ronaldo. The beguiling attacker who had bewitched Old Trafford in the opening-day defeat of Bolton more than once fell over his own feet and was a peripheral influence for much of the game.

It could not be said, however, that Ferguson's team did not deserve to be ahead. Twice in the opening six minutes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer singed the fingertips of the Wolves goalkeeper Michael Oakes and, when O'Shea emerged in a congested penalty area to head in Diego Forlan's corner after 10 minutes, seasoned United-watchers might have wondered how far they could swell their goal difference.

Yet Wolves continued to flourish. In quick succession Colin Cameron fired just past Tim Howard's left-hand post, Nathan Blake shot two yards wide and Camara looped an overhead kick on to the roof of the net. Roy Keane, deputising for Rio Ferdinand in the centre of defence, had contempt etched on his features as he berated his colleagues.

In fairness, Ronaldo did treat Old Trafford to a couple of his extravagant step-overs before he and Kleberson were replaced by Scholes and Giggs. But the standing ovation was laced with as much sympathy as admiration.

"He's not the real Ronaldo," sang the Wolves contingent. And, as the players in red started running the clock down, this did not look the real United.

Guardian Service

MANCHESTER UTD: Howard, Gary Neville, O'Shea, Keane, Phil Neville, Solskjaer (Bellion 84), Kleberson (Scholes 67), Djemba-Djemba, Ronaldo (Giggs 67), Forlan, van Nistelrooy. Subs Not Used: Carroll, Fletcher. Booked: Gary Neville, O'Shea. Goal: O'Shea 10.

WOLVERHAMPTON: Oakes, Irwin, Butler, Craddock, Naylor, Newton (Silas 75), Cameron, Ince, Rae, Blake, Camara. Subs Not Used: Murray, Iversen, Okoronkwo, Clingan. Booked: Butler, Blake.

Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).