Manchester United will aim to finish the year on a winning note when they take on Wolves on Saturday in the Premier League.
A tough challenge will await Manchester United on Saturday as Wolves will come with all guns blazing at the Molineux on Saturday. Julen Lopetegui has made a winning start to his Premier League career, and he would be fancying a positive result against the Red Devils.
A sudden loss at the hands of Aston Villa disrupted Manchester United’s winning juggernaut in November. But back-to-back wins over Fulham and Nottingham Forest have got them back on track. And the Red Devils could lodge three consecutive victories for the second time this season.
Manchester United’s away record is solid, as they have 13 points on the road this term. And another win should boost their chances of finishing in the top four. On the other hand, Wolves came back from one goal down to register a sensational victory over Everton, as Rayan Ait-Nouri netted a stoppage-time winner to send his team within one point of the safe zone.
It remains to be seen whether Lopetegui can work his magic on the English soil. But there have already been some positive signs, which could be utilised further as the season enters its most crucial period. Wolves ran out winners the last time they took on Manchester United, with Joao Moutinho scoring the winner.
1st game, 1st victory for Julen Lopetegui in the Premier League! 🐺🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/DXBV4ia3tt
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) December 26, 2022
Team News & Tactics
Wolves
Lopetegui won’t have the service of Chiquinho, Pedro Neto and Sasa Kalajdzic but Jonny Castro and Boubacar Toure should be available for this match. Goncalo Guedes is the favourite to replace Daniel Podence who suffered a knock against Everton.
Jose Sa remains the preferred choice in between the goal and he will be guarded by a four-man defence of Nelson Semedo, Max Kilman, Nathan Collins and Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Matheus Nunes should start in the midfield alongside Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho. Diego Costa is yet to find the net in the Premier League so far but it seems he will have another chance to prove his point. Hwang Hee-chan and Goncalo Guedes will be supporting him from the wings.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Sa; Semedo, Collins, Kilman, Ait-Nouri; Moutinho, Neves, Nunes; Hwang, Costa, Guedes
Manchester United
Lisandro Martinez is back in training after his jubilant journey at the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina. And the Argentine international could slot straight into the starting lineup. Scott McTominay and Victor Lindelof are doubtful, while Jadon Sancho and Diogo Dalot will likely miss this clash.
David de Gea will be gunning for his seventh clean sheet this season, and Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez will be assisting him in the process. Luke Shaw marshalled the defence well against Nottingham Forest. The Englishman will start as the left-back, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka will appear on the right side of the Manchester United defence.
Casemiro’s growing importance could be felt week in and week out, and the Brazilian midfielder will share his midfield duties with Christian Eriksen. Bruno Fernandes will be the most advanced midfielder, and he will be flanked by Antony and Marcus Rashford on the wings. Finally, Anthony Martial will lead the line for Manchester United against Wolves.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): de Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Eriksen; Antony, Fernandes, Rashford; Martial
Key Stats
- Wolves won their last Premier League meeting with Manchester United, 1-0 at Old Trafford in January. They last clinched consecutive league wins over the Red Devils between September 1979 and August 1980 (three in a row). Meanwhile, after scoring nine goals in two meetings with Wolves in the 2011/12 Premier League campaign, Manchester United have netted just nine goals in their last 11 matches in all competitions
- Wolves have lost just one of their last nine league games played on New Year’s Eve (W4 D4), although it was in their last such match back in 2016 (1-2 at home to QPR).
- Manchester United have not lost their final league game in any of the last ten calendar years (W7 D3) since a 3-2 defeat to Blackburn in 2011. That loss was also their only Premier League defeat on New Year’s Eve (W2 D1).
- Manchester United have won four of their last seven Premier League away games (D1 L2), having lost seven in a row on the road before this. They have scored in every game in this current run of seven. But the only time they scored more than twice saw them end up on the losing side (3-6 vs Manchester City in October).
- 40% of Joao Moutinho’s Premier League goals for Wolves have come against Manchester United (2/5). However, both of these strikes have come at Old Trafford, including the winner the last time the sides faced in January.
Player to Watch
Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford has the license to play with freedom this season, and the results have been pretty fascinating. The 25-year-old netted his fifth goal of the season in the Premier League in the last match, and he will once again take the centre stage when United visit the Molineux on the last day of 2022.
Rashford’s future is up in the air amid links with PSG. But Erik ten Hag is reportedly obsessed about Manchester United handing the Englishman a new contract. And Rashford can show why he deserves a renewal with another impressive showing on Saturday.
Prediction
Wolves 0-2 Manchester United
Wolverhampton Wanderers have been a hard team to beat since their promotion to the Premier League. And their high-pressing and aggressive tactics have paid off so many times. But Manchester United have emerged as a completely different entity under Erik ten Hag, and they have countered all the adversities with ease so far.
The Red Devils showed their mettle in the 3-0 demolition of Nottingham Forest. And Manchester United will deservedly be the favourites to take home three points against Wolves. But the hosts are experiencing the new-manager bounce under Julen Lopetegui and will not make things easy for their visitors. Nonetheless, The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-0 win for ten Hag’s men.
