Manchester United have travelled to the Molineux on where they will face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League in their final match of 2022. Since the return to club football after the FIFA World Cup. United have beaten Burnley 2-0 in the Carabao Cup and Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the Premier League. Erik ten Hag’s side will be seeking to end 2022 in style with another win which will apply pressure to Tottenham Hotspur, who face Aston Villa on New Year’s Day.
Prior to the Forest match, Spurs were four points ahead of United with the Old Trafford club also having a game in hand. The victory over Forest saw United shrink the gap to just one point which could see United lift themselves into the top four of the Premier League with a victory over Wolves. However, that could be short-lived if Spurs beat Villa as their goal difference is superior to United’s. It would show a massive improvement for United though.
Ten Hag’s side will need to achieve top four in the Premier League as a bare minimum this season to achieve UEFA Champions League football once again. Anything other than that will be a failure. The good thing for United at this time is that the Glazer’s are seeking to sell United, which will be great news if it actually happens in early 2023. Having those greedy, money-grabbing sellouts out of the club will be the best present ever. Meanwhile, United will have to keep the spirits high.
Manchester United
De Gea;
Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Shaw, Malacia;
Eriksen, Casemiro;
Antony, Fernandes, Garnacho;
Martial
Substitutes
Heaton; Lindelof, Maguire, Williams; Fred, van de Beek, Mainoo; Rashford, Elanga
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Sá;
Semedo, Collins, Kilman, Bueno;
Nunes, Neves, Moutinho;
Hee-Chan, Costa, Podence
Substitutes
Sarkic; Aït-Nouri, Jonny, Toti; B. Traoré, Hodge; Jiménez, Guedes, A. Traoré
United and Wolves have met 16 times in the Premier League. United have won nine times, drawing three times with Wolves winning four times. United have scored 24 goals, winning three penalties, scoring two. Wolves have scored 11 goals, winning no penalties. United have returned form the World Cup in good form with two victories under their belt against both Burnley in the Carabao Cup and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. Wolves have beaten Gillingham and Everton.
United have kept a total of seven clean sheets with Wolves keeping three. There has been some disciplinary issues with United players shown 26 yellow cards and one red card. Wolves players have been shown 24 yellow cards and on red card. Wolves have been a bogey side for United in the recent history of both teams playing and under Julen Lopetegui, they could become that bogey side once again for United. Ten Hag will want to end 2022 in style.
Jim McCalliog, Scott McGarvey, Darren Ferguson, Paul Ince, Denis Irwin, Darron Gibson and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson have all played for United and Wolves during their careers. Irwin and Ince are probably the more well-known players having both done well at United during their times at the club. Ince never left United for Wolves, he signed later in his career after playing for Inter Milan, Liverpool and Middlesbrough post-United.
Written by John Walker
