Fresh off one of the most dramatic comebacks in their history, Manchester United will be hoping to keep that momentum going when they host Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League this weekend.
United pulled off a stunning escape in the Europa League on Thursday night. Trailing Lyon 4-2 on the night and 6-4 on aggregate with just minutes left in extra time, they scored three times in six frantic minutes to snatch a win and book their spot in the semi-finals. It was classic United – chaotic, emotional, and unforgettable.
With their domestic season falling apart — they’re currently in 14th place and enduring their worst-ever Premier League campaign — success in Europe is now their main focus. Manager Ruben Amorim has made it clear the Europa League is the priority, and hinted that he might rest some senior players in the league, possibly giving youngsters a chance on Sunday.
Still, United haven't won in their last three league games (two losses and a draw), and while they’re safe from relegation — needing just two more points to be sure — they’ll want to avoid slipping even further down the table. A 17th-place finish is still mathematically possible, which makes this match against Wolves more important than it might seem.
Wolves, meanwhile, come into the match full of confidence. They’ve been on a great run, winning four in a row and picking up 13 of the last 15 points available. Their recent 4-2 win over Spurs showed just how dangerous they can be.
Historically, Wolves have been a bit of a thorn in United’s side since returning to the Premier League in 2018. In 16 meetings, they’ve won four, drawn four, and lost eight. But at Old Trafford, it's been tougher — only one win in their last 13 visits. That said, with the form they’re in, they’ll believe they can cause another upset.
Vitor Pereira’s side now sit comfortably above the relegation zone, 14 points clear. They only need five more points — or for the gap to grow to 16 this weekend — to officially confirm Ipswich Town’s relegation.
Away games have actually been a strength for Wolves this season. They’ve picked up more than half of their points on the road (18 out of 35), and have only lost one of their last six away matches in regular time.
All things considered, this Sunday clash has a lot riding on it — not in terms of titles or relegation for United, but for pride, momentum, and maybe even a small sense of redemption.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Manchester United will be missing a handful of players for Sunday’s game against Wolves — seven in total. Amad Diallo, Joshua Zirkzee, Jonny Evans, Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt, Toby Collyer, and Ayden Heaven are all ruled out.
Noussair Mazraoui and Victor Lindelof had to leave at half-time during Thursday’s Europa League thriller due to family reasons, but both are expected to be available for the weekend.
With another huge European clash against Athletic Bilbao coming up, manager Ruben Amorim is likely to rotate the squad. That means we could see Harry Amass, Christian Eriksen, and Lindelof in the starting lineup as some of the regular starters get a rest.
Wolves are also juggling some injury concerns. Enso Gonzalez, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Leon Chiwome, Pedro Lima, Sasa Kalajdzic, and Yerson Mosquera are all doubts for this one. Matt Doherty is carrying a knock but is expected to be fit enough to play.
On the bright side, Matheus Cunha is back from a four-game suspension and made an instant impact off the bench last week, scoring against Spurs. He’s likely to return to the starting XI.
Other than that, Wolves are expected to stick with most of the team that impressed in last weekend’s 4-2 win, with Jorgen Strand Larsen leading the attack — he’s in red-hot form, scoring five goals in his last four matches.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Yoro, Lindelof, Shaw; Dalot, Eriksen, Ugarte, Amass; Fernandes, Garnarcho; Hojlund
Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Sa; Doherty, Agbadou, T Gomes; Semedo, Andre, J Gomes, Nouri; Munetsi, Cunha; Larsen
EXPERT PREDICTION
Manchester United 2-2 Wolves
