Manchester United will have the opportunity to return to the top four when they host Premier League bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
Gameweek 19 begins only 48 hours after Gameweek 18 ended, as the first half of the 2025/26 Premier League season culminates this midweek. The latest round of fixtures starts on Tuesday, with the action kicking off with four games before ending with two simultaneous matches, including Manchester United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford.
Manchester United’s topsy-turvy ride in the 2025/26 season continued last week, as they held on for a 1-0 win over Newcastle United despite having a third of the possession. The Red Devils were delightful in the first half but had to dig deep and defend throughout the second period, producing a colossal defensive display.
The result helped Ruben Amorim’s men rise to sixth in the Premier League standings, and they can go as high as fourth on the table after Gameweek 19. On the other hand, Wolverhampton Wanderers will remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League even if they clinch three points on Tuesday.
The Black Country outfit may embark on the worst-ever Premier League campaign after managing only two points in 18 outings thus far in the 2025/26 season. Rob Edwards has failed to galvanise his charges, although they produced a spirited performance in the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool this past weekend. However, the visitors desperately need a winning run to dig themselves out of the drop zone.
Manchester United cruised to a 4-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the reverse fixture, with Jean-Ricner Bellegarde scoring the consolation goal for the Black Country outfit. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Manchester United
Ruben Amorim has a new injury concern that is hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Manchester United manager may be bereft of the services of as many as eight first-team players vs Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday.
Mason Mount may be the latest absentee after picking up a minor injury last week against Newcastle United. Additionally, Harry Maguire (thigh), Matthijs de Ligt (lower back), Kobbie Mainoo (muscular), and Bruno Fernandes (hamstring) remain in the treatment room. Meanwhile, the Red Devils are without Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo, with the trio at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Senne Lammens is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday. The backline will feature Diogo Dalot, Ayden Heaven, Lisandro Martinez, and Luke Shaw.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte in the double pivot, with Jack Fletcher reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Benjamin Sesko will lead the line for the home side against Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Matheus Cunha and Patrick Dorgu completing the numbers in the offensive third.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Heaven, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Ugarte; Dorgu, Jack Fletcher, Cunha; Sesko
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Like his counterpart in the Manchester United dugout, Rob Edwards has a new roster issue to worry about ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. The Wolverhampton Wanderers manager will be without as many as eight first-team players on Tuesday.
Andre Trindade is the latest absentee, as he will serve a suspension after picking up his fifth yellow card of the 2025/26 Premier League season. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Agbadou is at the Africa Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast.
Additionally, Daniel Bentley (ankle), Toti Gomes (hamstring), Leon Chiwome (knee), Marshall Munetsi (calf), Rodrigo Gomes (groin), and Jean-Ricner Bellegare (thigh) remain in the treatment room for the away side.
Jose Sa will get the nod over Sam Johnstone between the sticks, with Wolverhampton Wanderers lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Manchester United on Tuesday. The central defensive unit will feature Yerson Mosquera, Santiago Bueno, and Ladislav Krejci. Meanwhile, Matt Doherty and Hugo Beuno should be the two wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Fer Lopez may start as a makeshift midfielder alongside Joao Gomes in the middle of the park. Finally, Tolu Arokodare will spearhead the Wolverhampton Wanderers attack against Manchester United, with Hwang Hee-chan and Mateus Mane completing the numbers in the offensive unit.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Sa; Mosquera, Santiago Bueno, Krejci; Doherty, Joao Gomes, Fer Lopez, Hugo Bueno; Hwang, Mane; Arokodare
Key Stats
- Manchester United have won eight of their 11 most recent Premier League matches vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (L3), beating them 4-1 earlier this month at Molineux. Meanwhile, Wolves won the corresponding fixture 1-0 in the 2024/25 season, last winning consecutive away league games against Manchester United between March 1960 and September 1961 (a run of three).
- Manchester United lost their final Premier League game in 2023 (vs Nottingham Forest) and 2024 (vs Newcastle United). They last lost their final league match in three consecutive calendar years between 1980 and 1982.
- Wolverhampton Wanderers have won their final Premier League game in just one of the last six calendar years (D2 L3), beating Everton 3-0 in 2023.
- Manchester United kept a clean sheet in the Premier League for only the second time in the 2025/26 season against Newcastle United this past weekend. They last recorded a shutout in consecutive Premier League games in September 2024 under Erik ten Hag (vs Southampton and Crystal Palace).
- Wolverhampton Wanderers have lost 25 Premier League games in 2025. A defeat on Tuesday would equal the most losses suffered by a club in a calendar year in the competition (Ipswich Town: 26 in 1994).
Player to Watch
Matheus Cunha
While Benjamin Sesko, Tolu Arokodare, and Joao Gomes were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Matheus Cunha as the Player to Watch for Tuesday’s Premier League clash between Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford.
With the home side’s resources increasingly depleted, the onus will be on Cunha to deliver the goods in the final third and take advantage of his former side’s defensive vulnerabilities. So, it is little wonder that the Brazilian international is a captaincy candidate in FPL heading into Gameweek 19. Expect him to continue his solid run on Tuesday.
Prediction
Manchester United 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
With Manchester United’s injury crisis worsening this past weekend, Wolverhampton Wanderers have a golden opportunity to finally end the desperate search for their first win of the 2025/26 Premier League season. Additionally, the hosts have a dreadful defensive record this term, and that should provide openings to the away side.
However, Manchester United showed in the reverse fixture that the battle with the Black Country outfit often looked like boys vs men. That should be the case at times on Tuesday, with Matheus Cunha and Patrick Dorgu delivering the goods for the home side. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for Ruben Amorim and his charges.
