OUTBOUND
Wolverhampton > Crewe > Manchester Piccadilly is £7pp is you buy in advance from
www.virgintrains.co.uk
It does include a change in Crewe AND means departing Wolverhampton at 0819
RETURN
Manchester Picc > Wolverhampton DIRECT is £14, again in advance, this time from
www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk
Depart 1702 and arrive 1819
That's a total of £21. With those tickets, you MUST travel on that specific train. If you miss the train, you need to buy a new ticket.
If you'd rather have the flexibility, you can buy a return ticket from Wolverhampton to Manchester Piccadilly for £25.10. With this ticket, you can simply turn up at the station and catch the next train, no matter who operates it. It's valid for your return journey as well.
Any questions feel free to ask, hope this helps