Manchester United suffered the humiliation of conceding directly from corners twice in a week as Wolves’ Matheus Cunha repeated Tottenham’s Son Heung-min’s trick from a week ago.

It was a different goalkeeper for United, but the same old problem for United. To put this in context, there have been just 17 goals scored direct from corners in the almost 35 years of the Premier League.

Here we dissect how history repeated itself.

December 19: Tottenham 4 Man Utd 3

The problematic setup

Tottenham are 3-2 ahead at this stage, but United stick to their system of crowding the six-yard box. As Son prepares to take the corner there are eight United outfield players in that area, with just three Tottenham attackers. Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho are in the penalty area, meaning there is no United player further than 12 yards from their own goal.

The fatal mistake

As Son takes the kick the United goalkeeper, Altay Bayindir, decides to try and push forward Dominic Solanke out of his path. The idea is that this will create space for Bayindir to claim the ball. The issue, though, is that he ends up too far off balance towards the front of his goal - and there are no defenders on the line to help.

The point of no return

Bayindir tries to recover his ground and claim the ball as he realises it is arcing over him. As he does so Lucas Bergvall jumps towards goal, catching Bayindir on the arm and preventing him from attempting a catch. A more sympathetic referee or VAR may have awarded a free-kick. Unfortunately for Bayindir the referee did not see the incident and there is no VAR in the Carabao Cup before the semi-finals. As it is the ball sails over the Turk and into the back of the net. United pulled one back but it was too little too late as the avoidable error cost them the tie.

December 26: Wolves 2 Man Utd 0

The problematic setup

Again, United have eight outfield players in the six yard box. This time, with Bruno Fernades having been dismissed, Diallo is the only player stationed outside that area. Emboldened by the fact United have no attacking threat whatsoever, Wolves have five players inside the six yard box and another on the edge ready to attack.

The fatal mistake

Once again, United’s players are passive – while Wolves’ are not. Matt Doherty moves backwards from the front post towards goalkeeper Andre Onana, while fellow centre-back Santiago Bueno moves forwards towards the Cameroonian from the back post. The result is that Onana is pinned on his line, unable to move forwards or backwards. Manuel Ugarte makes a half-hearted effort to shift Bueno but the reality is not a single United player is protecting their goalkeeper, giving Wolves free rein to pen him in.

The point of no return

Onana tries to jump and claim the cross but is unable to do so, with the ball sailing clean into the far post. It says it all that the only player who could have intervened was Wolves’ Goncalo Guedes, who is standing unmarked at the back post ready to score if the ball hits the woodwork. He is not required as United’s disastrous corner setup costs them in humiliating fashion once more.