Premier League: Wolves Plan to Bite the Red Devils

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester United

11^th plays eighth in the Premier League big match on Thursday when Erik ten Hag leads Manchester United to Molineux to take on Gary O’Neil’s Wolverhampton Wanderers. The host can draw level on points with their visitors if they win, and that makes this game such a tantalising prospect.

While the Midlands team has been going along nicely in the league, the Red Devils have been lurching from one crisis to the next this season, and ten Hag will be hoping for a relative period of calm as he attempts to steer his team into the European places.

Both teams come into the match on the back of an FA Cup victory, as Wolves won the Black Country derby by beating Championship club West Bromwich Albion 2-0, while the Red Devils saw off a brave challenge from fourth-tier side Newport County 4-2.

Both teams will be determined too build on their cup success, and the pre-match Premier League 2024 betting odds say we have a cracker on our hands.

Talking Points

No Hwang, no problem for Wolves

After being potted by Bournemouth, Gary O’Neil has done a fine job as Wolves head coach. His team is unbeaten in seven matches, scoring 15 goals and conceding just five.

That run for form has lifted them to 11^th with 29 points, and a victory over Manchester United could well lift O’Neil’s men into the top half of the table.

Top scorer Hwang Hee Chan is at the Asian Cup with South Korea, who have a match against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, and he is likely to be out for the next couple of games.

But in the striker’s absence, Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha has stepped up impressively, and he has now contributed to 11 goals in the Premier League, scoring three goals and making three assists in December alone.

Cunha scored the second goal against the Baggies after the livewire Pedro Neto had given Wolves the lead.

The hosts will also be without Boubacar Traore when they face the Red Devils. He is at the African Cup of Nations, but there is better news elsewhere, as Rayan Ait-Nouri and Joao Gomes have returned to the squad.

Rashford available for Manchester United

Up in the North West, the pre-match Premier League 2024 news has been dominated by off-field matters.

Forward Marcus Rashford is on the naughty step after he was spotted in a Belfast club the day before training before reporting in sick for the Newport clash.

He returned to training at Carrington on Monday, and the club has issued a short statement which reads: “Marcus has taken responsibility for his actions. This has been dealt with as an internal disciplinary matter, which is now closed.”

I guess we’ll see about that.

For now, the England man is available for this crunch league match against Wolves, but I will be surprised if he is in the starting lineup.

Rashford was replaced by Antony in the FA Cup tie, and the young Brazil star assisted the first goal and scored the crucial third goal before Rasmus Hojlund made the tie safe deep into injury time.

Wide-man Alejandro Garnacho was impressive too, so I would expect to see those three line up against Wolves.

At the other end of the pitch, Andre Onana will be back between the sticks after Cameroon crashed out of the AFCON. And in central defence, Lisandro Martinez will line up alongside Raphael Varane.

The Red Devils have been short of leaders at times this season, and the Argentine World Cup winner is just the sort of character they need to grab hold of a game.

Licha is brilliant on the ball and tough in the tackle, so Martinez is one player ten Hag can always rely on.

History

Manchester United have won 16 of the last 25 head-to-head encounters, while Wolves have picked up five victories, and there have been four draws.

When the two teams met at Old Trafford on the opening day of the campaign, the Red Devils ran out 1-0 winners as Varane headed the only goal of the game.

In terms of recent form, Wolves have been stronger with four wins and two draws from the last six games to Manchester United’s three wins, one draw, and two defeats.

And Erik ten Hag’s men have lost three of their last four away Premier League games, scoring just once.

Betting Tip

This is a really tight game to call with Wolves at SBOTOP odds of 2.56, Manchester United at 2.32, and the draw at 3.24.

I think momentum and home advantage gives the hosts the edge against a team which has laboured on the road. More misery for Manchester United? There could well be.

 

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