If Manchester United fans thought they had rounded a corner this season, a 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers brought them swiftly back down to earth.

Ruben Amorim’s side had the chance to win back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since October against the division’s bottom side, but they failed to take that opportunity, with boos ringing around Old Trafford at full-time.

Amorim changed back to a 3-4-3 formation and, despite some initial struggles, Joshua Zirkzee’s first (heavily deflected) goal at Old Trafford this season put them in front in the 27th minute.

But Wolves had chances to equalise, and finally did through Ladislav Krejci in the 45th minute. Hugo Bueno floated a corner and Zirkzee’s unfortunate header backwards found its way to Krejci, who headed past the reach of goalkeeper Senne Lammens.

United almost equalised through a comical own goal from Yerson Mosquera, which Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa had to claw off his own line in the 55th minute. But it was Wolves who looked more likely to score from that point, with a goalmouth scramble in the 64th minute seeing Lammens save from Krejci and then palm the ball away from the onrushing Mosquera.

Amorim’s side thought they had a winner in the 90th minute when Patrick Dorgu turned home from close range following a Sa save from Benjamin Sesko, but it was flagged offside.

Here, Mark Critchley analyses an embarrassing result and display for United.

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Was it the 3-4-3 system or something deeper?

After three games where there have been clear tweaks to United’s shape in one form or another, to much surprise, Amorim reverted to type.

The 3-4-3 was back, as was the lack of intensity and absence of ideas during the first half. Jack Fletcher’s introduction for Zirkzee at half-time meant a return to a formation more akin to Friday night’s 4-2-3-1, but United’s struggles to break Wolves down persisted.

Whatever the shape, a pattern is emerging — like in the defeat to 10-man Everton, or the draw against struggling West Ham United.

In other words, United struggle when opponents they should dominate sit off, refuse to engage, and invite United to break them down.

Amorim barely left his technical area until Zirkzee opened the scoring. He was back in it soon after, too, still unhappy with what he was watching, and spent much of the second half there. More than once, he threw his arms up in frustration at his players’ decisions.

Although United only took four points from nine against Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Newcastle United, they played with verve, making the most of space offered by opponents who were happy to go toe-to-toe. It was the same story at Molineux a few weeks ago, in the reverse fixture.