Manchester United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers verdict, predicted score, key stats and suggested bets
- Matty Briggs
- 11 May 2023
Manchester United will be looking to take another step towards Champions League qualification at home to Wolves on Saturday.
Wolves are already safe so have little to play for when they travel to Old Trafford to take on fourth-placed Manchester United.
Date, KO time and TV coverage
Premier League, Saturday May 13, Kick-off 3pm
Predicted score
Suggested betting tips
Manchester Utd to win half-time, full-time
Highest scoring half - 2nd half
Key stats
Manchester United have kept a clean sheet in six of their last eight matches against Wolves in all competitions.
There have been under 2.5 goals scored in eight of Manchester United's last nine Premier League games.
Eight of the last nine games between the sides in all competitions have seen under 2.5 goals.
Wolves have won just one of the last nine meetings between the sides (January 2022).
Five of the last seven games between the sides have finished 1-0.
Manchester Utd vs Wolves team news
Marcus Rashford is a doubt with a leg injury but defender Raphael Varane and Alejandro Garnacho (ankle) could return.
Lisandro Martinez, Tom Heaton, Donny van de Beek and Scott McTominay will all miss out again. Wout Weghorst could make way after starting at West Ham, while Erik ten Hag will have to decide between Fred and Christian Eriksen in midfield.
Wolves could be unchanged after beating Aston Villa last time out. Matheus Cunha started instead of Joao Gomes in attack alongside Diego Costa. Chiquinho is back in training but
Sasa Kalajdzic and Boubacar Traore will miss out again. Jose Sa will keep his place in goal.
Verdict
Man Utd's stars were handed two days off after losing at West Ham last week. Erik ten Hag is desperate to re-energise his side with four games to go in their season, saying: "It is in your head, make sure it is not in your legs."
Consecutive 1-0 defeats on the road at Brighton and West Ham have given Liverpool a fighting chance of claiming fourth place and United need to respond.
Liverpool are a point behind and have winnable games against Leicester, Aston Villa and Southampton, so United know that a win over Wolves is a must.
United are heavy odds-on favourites to sink the men from Molineux and the fact that the visitors are safe will make the hosts' job easier. Julen Lopetegui's men looked destined for a relegation battle that would run until the final day, but wins over Chelsea, Brentford, Crystal Palace and Villa have fired them to safety.
Away from home though Lopetegui has not managed to get the formula right. Only Leeds and Nottingham Forest have worse away records. Wolves have managed just two wins away from home - against strugglers Everton and Southampton.
They have lost at Man City, Liverpool, Newcastle and Spurs and after Lopetegui admitted keeping Wolves up was one of his greatest achievements, it would be no surprise to see them take the foot off the pedal at Old Trafford.
Wolves have struggled for goals (30) and they are the league's lowest scorers with just 12 of those coming away from home. And it's unlikely they will start to put that right against a United side who should have the bit between their teeth.
At home United have lost just once, winning 12 of their 16 games, while their last three wins over Villa, Everton and Brentford have seen them win to nil. Ten Hag's men have also rolled over mid-table fodder such as Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Fulham, Nottingham Forest and West Ham so Wolves look ripe for a beating.
United were slightly unfortunate last time out in defeat at West Ham, with David De Gea's blunder handing the hosts a 1-0 win. They did clatter the post twice without really imposing themselves on the Hammers but at home they tend to get the job done.
They are a tight unit at Old Trafford, conceding just eight goals and only three of those have come before half-time. Ten Hag's men do tend to open up in the second half and have a record of 17 goals for and five against, as opposed to 11 for and three against in the first 45 minutes of games.
United simply have too much on the line and Wolves' players will be thinking of the beach. Expect them to get the ball rolling in the first half before putting Wolves to the sword in the second.
