United left back Fabio was sent off after 30 minutes for a professional foul on Michael Kightly, but that wasn’t enough to prevent his side from progressing to the next round.
Both managers made numerous changes from the weekend, and it was Wolves who had the first opportunity.
Returning duo Kightly and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake combined in the 12th minute, which resulted in Ebanks-Blake firing over from 20 yards.
Wolves continued to have the better of the opening exchanges and David Jones should have done better after finding himself free on the edge of the box, but his left foot shot was tame and straight at ‘keeper Tomasz Kuszczak.
United’s first effort came on 25 minutes when Nani laid the ball off to former Wolves loanee Darren Gibson, but his curling shot drifted just over.
The home side were reduced to ten men on the half hour after Fabio was dismissed. Good work from Stefan Maierhofer released Kightly who looked to be through on goal, but he was deliberately tripped by the despairing Brazilian, leaving referee Peter Walton with no choice but to send the left back off.
Despite having a man less, it was United who created the best chance of the half. Neville’s cross eluded Jody Craddock but Michael Owen could only send his eight yard header straight at Marcus Hahnemann.
The visitors had a glorious chance to take the lead on the stroke of half time after Neville’s mis-kick, but the ball didn’t fall kindly for Jones who blazed over.
Wolves began the second half how they finished the first, with Christophe Berra going close with an header from a Kightly corner.
They threatened again ten minutes later after Ebanks-Blake played in Karl Henry, but his cross was well intercepted by Neville.
Two minutes later, United scored the decisive goal that spelled relief for the home supporters. Welbeck played a quick one-two with Owen and found himself behind the Wolves backline, where he drilled a shot from 12 yards into the bottom corner.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy had just brought on Kevin Doyle, and he was in the thick of the action as the game headed towards a conclusion.
With fifteen minutes remaining, he was at the forefront of a Wolves breakaway, and after using his team-mates as decoys, fired a left foot shot that tested Kuszczak.
He came even closer to bringing Wolves level four minutes later, but his volley drifted inches away from the far post.
The home side finished the stronger of the two sides with debutant Joshua King twice testing Hahnemann, as Manchester United went a step closer to retaining the Carling Cup.
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