- Manchester Uniited midfielder Nemanja Matic and striker Marcus Rashford are both suspended following red cards against Watford and Burnley respectively.
- Manchester United have won their last six league matches against Wolves at Old Trafford, including all four in the Premier League, one of six sides they have played against on at least four occasions at home in the competition while retaining a 100 per cent record.
- Wolves have won their last two Premier League matches, both by a 1-0 scoreline. They have not won three in a row in the top-flight since March 1980.
- Man United are looking to avoid consecutive home defeats in the Premier League for the first time since March 2014, while manager Jose Mourinho has never suffered back-to-back home league defeats in his managerial career.
Facing one of the Premier League’s hottest clubs, Manchester United will look to avoid a second consecutive home defeat when it takes on Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. ET live online at NBCSports.com/Gold. It’s a reunion of sorts, as Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho meets his countryman Nuno Espirito Santo, who formerly played at goalkeeper for Mourinho while at Porto.
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Man United has looked solid in its last three matches, all away from home, but they’ll want to avoid the memories of the last time the Red Devils took the field at Old Trafford, a 3-0 defeat to Tottenham. On the other side, Wolves are unbeaten in four matches and face their biggest test since facing Manchester City earlier in the season. It’s been 38 years since Wolverhampton last won at Manchester United. Can they re-write history in the process?
What they’re saying
Man United manager Jose Mourinho on his team’s improving defense: “I think the team as a team is resolving the defensive problems better than before. I don’t want to say it was Bailly or Jones, and it’s now Smalling or Lindelof. I think the team is more compact, is more solid, the spirit, the co-operation, the empathy, the communication, all of that improved in the team and good results bring confidence. I think we are improving as a team. I don’t want to say that our improvement has the name of Chris or Victor. The team is playing better and of course they are part of the team that played well in these matches.”
Wolverhampton manager Nuno Espirito Santo on not changing his team’s playing style: “There is no game I recall that we changed. That tells a lot about what the players believe. If you change, it doesn’t make sense. You have to adapt, respect and be humble – know you are facing a strong team – but you cannot change and fear. None of those things are part of us. We go there to compete, believing in ourselves.”
Video Preview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx5Iz1QrOKs
Prediction
Even with a better defense, Manchester United will feel the absence of Nemanja Matic in midfield. Wolverhampton won’t back down and on the counter, Ruben Neves will make a late run and score from the top of the box to nullify a goal from Romelu Lukaku. Manchester United 1-1 Wolverhampton
