WOLVERHAMPTON, England -- Manchester United are making progress under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. They are fitter, younger and seemingly hungrier than in recent seasons, but it only took a missed penalty by Paul Pogba -- another missed penalty by Paul Pogba -- to highlight just how far this team must go before being anywhere close to being ready to challenge for honours again.

On the face of it, a 1-1 draw against Wolves at Molineux after losing 2-1 here in the Premier League and FA Cup last season is a sign of progress for United. But there is a distinct lack of experience and leadership in Solskjaer's young team -- at an average age of 24 years and 173 days, this United side was the youngest of any to play in the league this season -- and that led to Pogba taking his fourth unsuccessful penalty since the start of last season, with Wolves keeper Rui Patricio diving to his right to push away the Frenchman's 67th-minute spot kick. The save was a desertion of the sort of luck that United benefitted from last season.

Eight days ago, Marcus Rashford scored from the spot during United's 4-0 opening-weekend victory against Chelsea at Old Trafford. The penalty maintained Rashford's 100 percent record from the spot for United and England, and he has taken some pressure kicks in that time for club and country. Yet at Molineux, Pogba brushed him aside and decided to take the glory shot himself, perhaps because he had won the spot kick after being fouled by Conor Coady.

In a team stocked full of experienced players and characters strong enough to intervene, Pogba would surely have been told to walk away and leave the penalty to Rashford, considering his record has been so patchy in recent months. But there are no Roy Keanes, Eric Cantonas, Gary Nevilles or Rio Ferdinands in this United team, and nobody felt strong enough to step up and take the ball from Pogba.

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And Solskjaer's post-match explanation of the incident only added to a sense of United being rudderless at times on the pitch. According to the Norwegian, both Pogba and Rashford are the club's penalty takers, so even he can't bring himself to make an executive decision about which is No. 1 and which is No. 2.

"The two of them are designated penalty shooters," Solskjaer said. "It's up to them to choose that this is their time.

"Sometimes players are confident enough to score. Paul has scored some for us, but today Patricio has made a good save.

"The two have been very confident before, last week Marcus scored. I'm sure he would have loved it this time, but Paul thought he could score and I like that confidence. I've no problem with players saying, 'This is mine.'"

Former United captain Neville, speaking on Sky Sports, described the situation as "embarrassing," however.

"They should decide in the dressing room who is the penalty taker," Neville said. "It's embarrassing. This is a Manchester United penalty, this is not a tombola, this is not under-fives on the school field."

But while it isn't "under-fives," the youthful nature of United's team will be a pertinent factor in their performances and results this season.

Molineux is a tough place to visit, and Nuno Espirito Santo's team will once again challenge for a European spot this season, but the naivety of Solskjaer's players should have alarmed the United manager during this game. They were unable, through a lack of seasoned experience, to control the tempo of the game and looked to be shipping water long before Ruben Neves cancelled out Anthony Martial's first-half opener on 54 minutes.

The increased energy that Solskjaer's preseason training regime has instilled shone through late in the game, when United finished strongly, but they were too hot and cold during the 90 minutes. They registered just two shots on target throughout the contest: Martial's goal, and Pogba's missed penalty. Solskjaer admitted after the game that this was a night when his players learned some important lessons.

"We are a young side and we learned on the pitch today," he said. "You have to learn on the job, you can't discuss it afterwards."

Yet for players to learn and become the kind of resilient team capable of challenging for major honours, they also need decisiveness from their manager, and the penalty situation suggests Solskjaer lacks the assertiveness to take this team to the level that the club demands. Under Sir Alex Ferguson, doubt was nonexistent in the minds of the United players. They only knew certainty. But by allowing his players to decide who takes penalties, Solskjaer has opened the door for his players to storm through and do whatever else they want, whenever they want to do it.

Giving players autonomy to do that works when you have a team full of experience and leaders, but not when they are so young that they look to the bench for guidance. This United team still needs plenty of that leadership, which is why Solskjaer needs to make the big decisions and not the leave them to the likes of Rashford and Pogba.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, who missed the first three-and-a-half weeks of training camp with a thumb injury, was removed from the non-football injury list, a source told ESPN's Field Yates.

Edelman participated in his first practice Monday, and immediately shoots to the top of the receiver depth chart. The Super Bowl LIII Most Valuable Player is quarterback Tom Brady's go-to target, especially in critical situations. In three playoff games last year, Edelman totaled 26 catches for 388 yards (14.9 average). Edelman's 115 career postseason catches is second in NFL history, behind Jerry Rice (151).

The Patriots had been thin at receiver in recent practices due to a string of injuries, but Edelman's return -- coupled with Josh Gordon's conditional reinstatement -- has altered the outlook. Gordon remains on the non-football injury list for now.

Before practice Monday, coach Bill Belichick was asked about the competition that has unfolded at receiver, and noted a group of receivers who had yet to practice -- a reference to Edelman, Gordon, Cameron Meredith (non-football injury list) and Demaryius Thomas (physically unable to perform list).

"There's still a lot of people we haven't seen actively on the field, so 'to be determined,' " he said.

Edelman is no longer part of that list for the Patriots, who host the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night in preseason action.

Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon, who is nearly five weeks into a holdout over his contract, told ESPN on Monday he is training rigorously in California and is staying ready to play football.

Gordon wants to play but continues to wait for a resolution.

"Just waiting on the call," said the Pro Bowl back, who also has spent time preparing in Florida.

Gordon declined to discuss his contract situation and his holdout.

Both sides have remained millions apart in negotiations, according to a source. The top of the running back market begins at around $13 million per year, and the Chargers have been well short of that number, despite discussions about bridging the gap with incentives.

Gordon has told the Chargers through his representation that if he does not receive a new deal, he will sit out.

The Chargers held their first training camp practice on July 25, and Gordon has subjected himself to fines during his absence. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said he is "pulling for" Gordon but has to progress with the team's current offense.

Gordon's agent, Damarius Bilbo, told ESPN's Josina Anderson earlier this month that he requested the Chargers trade his client after the team remained at its initial offer of approximately $10 million per season. Gordon's fifth-year option is set to pay $5.605 million in 2019, and short of a new deal, Gordon has considered all options, including holding out until around midseason, in time to accrue an NFL season toward free agency, according to a source.

Gordon has made two Pro Bowls since the Chargers drafted him 15th overall in 2015, and his 28 rushing touchdowns over the past three years ties Dallas Cowboys back Ezekiel Elliott, who also is holding out. In 12 games last year, Gordon recorded 885 rushing yards on 175 carries (an average of 5.1 yards per carry) along with 14 total touchdowns (10 rushing) and 50 receptions for 490 yards.

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown has filed a new grievance against the NFL in an attempt to be able to wear the helmet he wants, a source tells ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Atlanta Braves claimed outfielder Billy Hamilton off waivers from the Kansas City Royals, the team announced Monday.

The Braves' outfield has been hit hard by injuries, with Ender Inciarte (hamstring), Nick Markakis (wrist) and Austin Riley (knee) all on the injured list. Inciarte and Markakis are not expected back anytime soon.

Hamilton, 28, hit .211 with 12 doubles and 12 RBIs for the Reds this season, and his stolen base total dropped to 18. He swiped 56 bases in 2014 and increased his total by one in each of the next three seasons.

The switch-hitter signed with the Royals in December after spending the first six seasons of his major league career with Cincinnati, where he was a five-time Gold Glove finalist in center field. Hamilton has 295 career stolen bases, fifth-most of any active player.

To make room for Hamilton, the Braves optioned right-hander Bryse Wilson to Triple-A Gwinnett and recalled RHP Jacob Webb from the Stripers and placed him on the 60-day injured list with a right elbow impingement.

Hamilton had a $4.6 million salary on the last-place Reds. Because this was a waiver claim, the Braves must pick up the remainder of Hamilton's salary.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Twins slugger Nelson Cruz was reinstated from the injured list Monday after the minimum 10-day stay and will play through a ruptured tendon in his left wrist.

Cruz ruptured the tendon Aug. 8, and the Twins feared he would miss significant time. But the team later learned he could play with the injury, and he has told the team he is pain-free.

"We haven't really had a hint of a discussion related to discomfort, related to anything associated with his wrist," manager Rocco Baldelli said. "He's seemingly in great shape. He's ready to play. He's been adamant about that."

The 39-year-old Cruz is hitting .294 with 32 homers and 76 RBIs for AL Central-leading Minnesota.

The Twins optioned right-handed reliever Zack Littell to Triple-A Rochester to make room for Cruz on the roster.

British number four Naiktha Bains has lost in the first round of qualifying for the US Open.

Bains, 21, was well beaten 6-3 6-1 by Slovakia's Jana Cepelova in New York as she tried to reach the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time.

The Briton struggled to get any power on her serve, leaving her open to breaks and the Slovak capitalised.

World number 237 Bains is a dual British and Australian citizen and changed her allegiance this year.

On Tuesday, former British number one Heather Watson will be in action against Georgia's Mariam Bolkvadze and James Ward will take on China's Zhe Li as they get their US Open qualifying campaign under way.

The tournament itself begins at Flushing Meadows on 26 August.

Dan Evans says his surprise decision to split with coach David Felgate was because the pair started to see "a few things differently".

The British number two informed Felgate of his decision at the start of August, a few days after losing in the first round of the ATP event in Washington.

Evans enjoyed an excellent grass-court season, culminating in a third-round defeat to Joao Sousa at Wimbledon.

In February he reached his second ATP final in Delray Beach.

"I saw a few things different, I think, to the way he saw it," Evans told BBC Sport at the Winston-Salem Open.

"At the end of the day I'm on the court, and it's how I felt.

"It was amicable, no hard feelings. I sat down and said it was going to come to an end, and that was that.

"I wanted to go a different way and try something new. I've never had to do that before. It was not an easy conversation but it was better for me to say it there and then than carry on until the end of this trip, and waste this trip.

"I sort of felt that way as soon as I came back and we started again after Wimbledon. Maybe I lost my spark with him, but it just didn't feel right, and I thought it needed to change."

Evans and Felgate started working together after last year's Wimbledon. The British Davis Cup player was outside the top 300 at the time, as he fought his way back from a doping ban, but now stands at 58 in the world.

Evans says he wants to play more aggressively in future, and will try to come forward towards the net, a little more.

"I thought, over the grass, I was pretty defensive and not really putting my game out there. I felt it was time for a new start - to make that change, and to play that way," the 29 year old added.

The former British player Joshua Milton, who now coaches in San Diego, is assisting Evans in Winston-Salem this week. As the fifth seed, Evans was given a first-round bye and will play his second-round match on Tuesday.

Evans said he does not yet know who he will work with in future, but says Britain's Davis Cup captain Leon Smith has agreed to help out where he can during the US Open, which begins on Monday.