Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester United - Preview: Fergie's Men Aim To Consolidate Top Spot

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

v

MANCHESTER UNITED

Molineux, Wolverhampton

March 18, 2012; 13:30 hours GMT

***

Manchester United travel to the Molineux stadium to take on troubled Wolves in a bid to move four points clear of Manchester City. The Red Devils are already out of all other competitions this season and are desperate to retain their title, while Wolves will be fighting every tooth and nail to secure Premier League football for the next season.

Wolves have been pretty hapless this season to say the least as one win in their last fourteen games have left them just one point off the bottom, making them one of bookies’ favourites to go down. Caretaker manager Terry Connonr has also not done anything significant since taking over from Mick McCarthy. The team has taken just one point in three games under him and performed woefully in the games against Fulham and Blackburn and if they wish to survive this season, their performances levels need to increase drastically.

Manchester United, on the other hand, are top of the table for the first time since the turn of the year and with a relatively easier fixture list than Manchester City, they are slight favourites to win the title. However, no game is easy at this stage with teams like Wolves, Blackburn and Wigan (United to visit each one of them) battling hard for survival. Still, Fergie will be much happier with his team’s set of fixtures as opposed to those of the ‘noisy neighbours‘ and if his team continue the brilliant form they have been since the defeat to Newcastle, they might very well be lifting the trophy come the end of the season.

Team News and Tactical Brief

Wolverhampton Wanderers

There are a few injury problems for manager Terry Connor going into this game. Karl Henry is out for the home side with a hamstring problem for three to four weeks. Nenad Milijas is also a major doubt for the game as he is struggling with a calf problem. Jamie O’ Hara, Sebastien Bassong and Stephen Hunt are also battling fitness but the latter two are expected to be ready for the game on Sunday, while the former Spurs man is rated as “60-40 against” by the manager.

Wolves are likely to go with a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Steven Fletcher playing as the target man while Kevin Doyle will be deployed in the free role behind the Scot. The front two will be supported by a rather less familiar midfield as David Edwards and David Davis will be the central midfielders up against the huge task of controlling the game against Man United.

The biggest attacking threat from Wolves will be from the left hand side with Matthew Jarvis who has been in good form despite his team going through such a poor run. The former Gillingham man has troubled the Red Devils in the past and he will be looking to do much the same in this game by taking on United’s right-back and floating crosses for Fletcher on every opportunity. The manager will also instruct his players to bring Jarvis into the game as much as possible.

The other flank is likely to be taken up by Michael Kightly who, contrary to Jarvis, will be looking to cut into the midfield more often than not. This will also help in creating space for Ronald Zubar who likes to go forward from his right-back position. The other defenders for the home side are going to be Bassong, Stearman and Ward. However, if Bassong is unavailable, Roger Johnson or Christophe Berra will come into the side as his replacement.

Probable Starting Line-upAi??(4-4-1-1) : Hennessey (GK); Zubar, Bassong, Stearman, Ward; Kightly, Edwards, Davis, Jarvis; Doyle; Flether

Manchester United

The only positive thing to come out for Sir Alex from the match in midweek is that all of his players came unscathed and there are no fresh injury worries going into the game. However, there are still few players missing for the visitors. Anderson is ruled out for five weeks following a hamstring injury, while Jones is struggling with flu and is likely to miss the game. Nani will also be assessed before the game and there is a chance that he might be involved on Sunday.

The good news for the manager, though, is that Antonio Valencia is fit again after being out for almost a month. Also fit is Chris Smalling, who came on as a sub against Bilbao after missing the game against West Brom last week. Michael Owen has also returned to full training, but his first team return date is still not set.

Scholes, who was an unused substitute in Bilbao, is likely to return to the starting line-up alongside Michael Carrick in central midfield. Carrick was also withdrawn early in midweek with the game against Wolves in mind of the manager. These two are likely to be part of the same front six that performed admirably against West Brom at Old Trafford last week.

Ashley Young will be playing on the left hand side, linking with Evra and whipping crosses for the front men to capitalize upon.Ai??Welbeck will be starting on the right flank with Hernandez up top and Rooney playing in the hole between the striker and the midfielders. However, all of the three men will be switching positions from time to time, with Welbeck drifting in from time to time and Rooney and Hernandez taking his position on the right.

This sort of movement from the front three was troublesome for Hodgson’s men on Sunday and hence the manager is likely to deploy the same tactics again. However, with Valencia likely to be on the bench, the manager does have a plan B up his sleeve as he could unleash the Ecuadorian to make it a traditional 4-4-1-1 formation.

The defence will have the usual suspects of Evans and Ferdinand (who was also substituted early in Bilbao) as the central defensive pair with captain Evra on their left, Rafael on their right and De Gea as the goalkeeper.

Probable Starting Line-upAi??(4-4-1-1) : De Gea(GK); Rafael, Evans, Ferdinand, Evra; Welbeck, Carrick, Scholes, Young; Rooney; Hernandez
.

Key Match Facts

Wolves have won 14 points from losing positions this season. Only Arsenal haveAi??amassed more (19).
Connor’s men have conceded most goals (15) from outside the box this season.
This is United’s second best return (67 points) after 28 games in the Premier League era. They had 69 points in 2006-07.
.Ai??

TheHardTackleai??i??s PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR

Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

(c) Rooney_thestretfordroar_blogspot — White Hot

The champion striker is on a hot streak having scored seven goals in the last four league games. With Sir Alex expecting forty goals from his talisman this season, Rooney will do his utmost best to fulfill his manager’s wish and if that is the case, Wolves are in for a hard game on Sunday afternoon.
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TheHardTackleai??i??s PREDICTION

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-3 Manchester United

Fergie’s men will consolidate their position on the top of the league piling more pressure on Wolves and caretaker manager Terry Connor. The home side will cause a bit of trouble to the champions but in the end, the Red Devils will return home with a comfortable victory.
.

TheHardTackleai??i??s BLAST FROM THE PAST

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester United – Preview: Fergie’s Men Aim To Consolidate Top Spot

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