Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United will be desperate for three points when they clash at the Molineux on Thursday.
The 2024/25 Premier League season continues this week with Matchday 18, with Thursday featuring the Boxing Day fixtures. Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester United at the Molineux will be the penultimate game on the day, with the two teams eager to embark on a winning run.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have endured a frustrating 2024/25 campaign thus far, managing only three wins in 17 Premier League outings thus far. The poor run has left the Black Country outfit in the relegation dogfight. However, Vitor Pereira could not have asked for a better start to his spell at Molineux, with his team cruising to a 3-0 win over Leicester City this past weekend.
On the other hand, Ruben Amorim must have realised the enormity of his task as the Manchester United manager. While the Portuguese tactician has enjoyed some memorable results, the Red Devils have blown hot and cold in his first few weeks at the club. The latest setback came against Bournemouth, with the Red Devils losing four of their last five games across all competitions.
The corresponding fixture last season was a pulsating affair that saw Manchester United eke a 4-3 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Kobbie Mainoo scoring a late winner. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Vitor Pereira has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Wolverhampton Wanderers manager will be bereft of the services of five first-team players vs Manchester United on Thursday.
Rayan Ait-Nouri is available after serving a suspension this past weekend. Meanwhile, Mario Lemina faces a late fitness test to determine his availability. However, Yerson Mosquera, Boubacar Traore, Enso Gonzalez, and Sasa Kalajdzic remain on the sidelines due to knee injuries, while Pablo Sarabia is recovering from a calf strain.
Jose Sa should take his spot between the sticks, with Wolverhampton Wanderers lining up in a 3-4-3 formation in front of him vs Manchester United on Thursday. The central defensive unit will likely feature Nelson Semedo, Santiago Bueno, and Toti Gomes. Rodrigo Gomes and Rayan Ait-Nouri will likely start as the two wing-backs.
The duo will aim to provide width in the final third and take creative charge from the flanks. Joao Gomes and Andre Trindade will pair up in the double pivot, striving to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Finally, Jorgen Strand Larsen will lead the line for Wolverhampton Wanderers against Manchester United, with Goncalo Guedes and Matheus Cunha completing the numbers in the offensive trifecta.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Jose Sa; Nelson Semedo, Bueno, Toti Gomes; Rodrigo Gomes, Joao Gomes, Andre, Ait-Nouri; Guedes, Strand Larsen, Cunha
Manchester United
Like his counterpart in the Wolverhampton Wanderers dugout, Ruben Amorim has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Manchester United manager should be without only three first-team players on Thursday.
Matthijs de Ligt should return after recovering from an illness. So, Luke Shaw (calf), Victor Lindelof (knee), and Mason Mount (hamstring) remain on the sidelines, with the trio not returning anytime soon.
Andre Onana is the automatic pick between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday. The central defensive unit should feature Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, and Lisandro Martinez, with Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot being the two wide attackers.
Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo will pair up in the central areas, with the duo aiming to provide the forward thrust from the middle of the park. Finally, Rasmus Hojlund will spearhead the Manchester United attack against Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo taking charge of the creative direction.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Onana; de Ligt, Maguire, Martinez; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot; Amad, Bruno Fernandes; Hojlund
Key Stats
- Manchester United will be looking for a fifth consecutive away win vs Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday. The hosts have not beaten United at home since April 2019, a run of six matches in all competitions.
- A loss on Thursday will mean Wolverhampton Wanderers will have equalled the Premier League record for most home defeats in a calendar year: 13 by Ipswich Town in 1994. They have kept only one Premier League clean sheet at Molineux this season.
- Manchester United have lost three of their last four Premier League fixtures, conceding the opening goal in each outing. The Red Devils’ tally of 22 points is their lowest after 17 league matches of a season since 1989/90. They are in the bottom half of the table at Christmas for the first time since that campaign.
- Wolverhampton Wanderers are unbeaten in their last seven Boxing Day league games (W5 D2). Manchester United hold the English league record of 54 wins on Boxing Day.
- Matheus Cunha has been involved in nine goals in his last nine Premier League games, scoring six and assisting three.
Player to Watch
Bruno Fernandes
While Amad Diallo, Matheus Cunha, and the resurgent Goncalo Guedes are viable candidates for this section, we have picked Bruno Fernandes as our Player to Watch. The Manchester United captain has produced much-improved performances since Erik ten Hag’s time at Old Trafford ended.
However, the Portuguese international has blown hot and cold in recent outings, and he should have scored multiple goals this past weekend against Bournemouth. Meanwhile, Fernandes has failed to score in his eight Premier League matches versus Wolverhampton Wanderers. He will be eager to break his duck and take his team back to winning ways on Boxing Day.
Prediction
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-3 Manchester United
With Manchester United blowing hot and cold in recent outings, Vitor Pereira might feel the Red Devils are ripe for the taking this midweek. However, the hosts have their defensive issues, which might hand the away side the opportunity to return to winning ways.
Vitor Pereira can become the second Portuguese manager to win his first two Premier League fixtures, emulating Jose Mourinho at Chelsea in August 2004. However, a goal-laden affair should end in a narrow win for Manchester United. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-2 victory for Ruben Amorim and his charges.
