It is not easy to understand the Red Devils this season. Apparently neither for their own fans nor their own manager. One moment they are limping against Bournemouth, and watching four bullets whizz past their last defense without being able to act, before they keep Newcastle alive for a full 90 minutes, and take three very strong points. The latter match was also without the Portuguese leader on the pitch. Manchester United has something going for them this season, while the whole thing seems far too fragile. Amorim's task is as simple as it is difficult, here they must try to get the most out of the available personnel, and thus secure a European ticket for next season. For Wolverhampton, the story is quite different. Completely without bright spots, they are decidedly last, with a full two points collected. The goal difference reads 29 in the negative, and 16 of 18 matches have been lost. These are completely absurd numbers. The loss of Cunha broke the back of this team, and it will take a miracle for the Wolves to keep their place on the top shelf. Nevertheless, they came from the match at Anfield last time with their heads held high, there were no points, but the performance was somewhat better. What can one hope for from Old Trafford on the eve of the New Year's rockets?
Manchester United – Signs of recovery from the old greats
Because aren't there some clouds about to lift over the red part of Manchester? The sky is a little lighter, and isn't Amorim standing there with a slightly straighter back? Ruben Amorim, the man with the worst statistics, and the lowest points average, finally gave up on his own ideologies. The man with the impeccable weld trumpeted earlier this fall that if he had to compromise on his own beliefs, he would get on the first plane home to Portugal. But here we are, United's manager has changed the systems a bit, perhaps primarily in line with unavailable personnel, but then it has also led to some points in the bank. Football is a fascinating game, and what seems like the only way one moment is yesterday's wrong choice the next. United, and their manager, are searching for the right course, and perhaps we are seeing the contours of brighter times.
Uphill climb towards Newcastle
Last time out against Newcastle, it was a Dane who became an unlikely hero. Dorgu flew up and down the right wing like he was supposed to do nothing else, and also won the match with a superb finish. He found himself in advantageous spaces several times, and with a bit of luck he could have scored another goal. The Dane had Fantasy managers around the world flocking to United's forward full-back.
And these unlikely heroes are probably still dependent on. Bruno is injured, Mbeumo is in Africa, and Sesko is not delivering the goods. Then it falls to Cunha. Brassen is good, and we know he will be a hero ahead of the meeting with old teammates, but he cannot fix this alone. More people need to sign up here. Now you can't expect Dorgu to become Andy Cole overnight, so guys like Mount and Sesko have to raise their own game. There is something thin in the offensive ranks, and it is questionable whether this shouldn't be addressed in January.
Heaven is the bright spot
It remains to be seen what formation they will use to face Wolves. One thing is certain, United look sharper now with a somewhat more compact defence. We can point to Heaven as an example of the change in quality. The 19-year-old Englishman came from Arsenal and has gradually earned a starting place in the Reds' backline. He was great against Newcastle. The parallels to a certain Rio have already been drawn, and when the teenager United's back legend is down to his knees, a new defence manager is on the cards. Yes, there are bright spots at Old Trafford now.
Wolves – The lights are out. The stands are empty.
Because Wolves will not be playing Premier League football in the 2026/2027 season. They are as far from the required standard as possible. At the risk of offending all the Haugesund fans out there, this is the Rogaländisches disguised in black and yellow.
The season has brought two points. That would have to be two draws, combined with 16 losses. A loss percentage of almost 90%. Ten goals have been scored, but the ball has rolled past the own goalkeeper 39 times. Times are tough there, and they are probably already planning for the new season. A season in the Championship.
The ones that were never replaced
Wolverhampton have been an exciting team at times. An offensively vibrant team, with several interesting pieces. Two of these pieces disappeared before the current season, and neither Ait-Nouri nor Cunha were replaced by anyone close to their class. The two players both went to Manchester, respectively the light blue and red section, and with that they also put the hook on the door for their own ambitions. It is of course almost impossible to resist when these clubs knock, because if you refuse to sell it becomes difficult to sign exciting talents for the future. You are forced to say yes, and you have to go out and try to find the next promising shoots. You couldn't do that.
The conclusion of it all is a gray mass with a steady course down a level. Yes, the match against Liverpool was uplifting, but it resulted in nothing. No points, and a situation just as hopeless. Rob Edwards must hope at the very least that they played on some self-confidence after all, they scored a goal after all, and that this can be built on against United. Hope is still just that, a meager little hope.
Conclusion – Everyone beats Wolverhampton
Because that's the closest thing to the truth. Wolves are losing. And they're losing this one too. These two met as recently as December 8th, in Wolverhampton, and the Red Devils went home with three points and a dominant 4-1 performance. We should note, however, that this was largely Fernandes and Mbeumo's game. The two are not playing on Tuesday, and with that, attacking power and creativity disappear. But are the points disappearing? We don't think so. The momentum is swinging strongly in the home team's favor, and even without their best cards in hand, this should end in three more points.
What formation will we see the home team in?
The question is, however, how Amorim chooses to attack the challenge. You don't necessarily have to sweep Wolves and go for another solid 4-1 victory. A more controlled affair seems reasonable, as they themselves are struggling with important absences, while the guests don't have a lot to offer. These ten goals for the black and yellows don't scare anyone. We therefore predict a home win on the next-to-last day of the year, albeit with the handbrake on.
Because it's the points that matter here. United will eventually have more strings to play on, and in the meantime, being in shooting range is the alpha and omega when it comes to fourth place. The three points against Newcastle must have tasted incredibly good in that respect, and if you follow up here, as you should, the state of affairs doesn't look so bad. United have a couple of players who have the capacity to cause problems for the visitors, and we also see the outlines of some player choices now that work harder for each other. The Sanchos and the Antonies are gone, and with that you suddenly have eleven men going in the same direction.
Amorim at the helm
Amorim is trying his best. It is probably a long way off for the red boardroom to get rid of yet another manager, while time is the key word here. You have to see results. You have to hit the transfers. You have to avoid players going elsewhere, and blossoming, and then being named Italy's best player. You cannot be a destination where players stagnate, and you cannot play under a manager who is unable to exploit your full potential. If you manage to turn the tide, hit a couple of player purchases, set a suitable formation, yes, then there is still hope in the distance. It all starts with a European ticket this season, and it all starts with three new clean points against toothless wolves.
The penultimate day of the year at 21:15 Norwegian time! And if you're going to bet a few kroner on the match, we suggest the following bets;
England at 21:15: Manchester Utd - Wolverhampton: Manchester Utd lead at half-time (1.80)
