Club boss shares his honest take on United’s loanee’s crazy performance during loss

Northampton Town manager Kevin Nolan has given his verdict on the rollercoaster game endured by Manchester United loanee Ethan Wheatley last weekend against Cardiff City. Wheatley’s wild ride Having joined Northampton during the summer from United, Wheatley has emerged as a key player for the side. He has chalked up 16 League One appearances for the side, registering a decent return of three goals and two assists in that period. He has started 14 of these 16 matches. Wheatley registered one of his goals on Saturday as his side fell to a 3-1 loss at the hands of Cardiff. He was brilliant in the first half and deservedly drew his side level in the 57th minute with a well-taken goal. However, Wheatley’s joy was short-lived as he scored an own goal just three minutes later. The United youngster inadvertently directed Joel Bagan’s corner into the back of his own net as the visitors retook the lead. Chris Willock added a third in stoppage time to secure all three points for Cardiff. After the final whistle, Wheatley could not hide his disappointment, although he explained that his teammates were fully supportive of him. The 19-year-old said [as quoted by Northampton Chronicle and Echo], “I feel, had I not made that mistake at the other end of the pitch after scoring, we would have gone on and won the game, but the lads have said to me that these things happen in football and we just need to bounce back next week.” “I think I went with the wrong leg to be honest. The boys have tried to get my head up and keep me positive. Football moves on quickly and there’s another game coming up at the weekend so hopefully I can make up for it.” Nolan shared his thoughts on Wheatley’s performance, noting that the forward will learn from the experience. Nolan’s reaction The Cobblers boss remarked, “Ethan was a bit… I’ve just said to him that you’ve gotta go through them.” “I remember doing one of them away at Middlesbrough. I still remember it like it was yesterday.” “It’s a learning curve for him, but I thought he was excellent. He took his goal fantastically well, and we asked them a lot of questions.” Wheatley and Northampton are next in action on Saturday when they go away to Plymouth. Featured image Pete Norton via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!