Match Thread: Wolves v Manchester United 5.30pm KO 26.12.202
By Ivybridge Wolf
December 26 2024
Happy Christmas to everyone and hope you all had a peaceful and restful day …. and got what you wanted! We know what we want today but will we get the precious 3 points we desire and continue to really need. The pressure of getting results will not let up for our new manager and players, nevertheless what a terrific start for Vitor Pereira at Leicester last weekend.
It’s a traditionally busy boxing day football fixture list across England today with Manchester United making the trip down the M6 for a 5.30pm kick off at Molineux. Of their last 6 league matches, Manchester United have W2, D1 and L3, including their last match v Bournemouth where they lost 3-0 at home. They too have a new manager and Ruben Amorin is still tussling to find the right line up to provide better consistency. As for Vitor Pereira, it’ll be his first experience of a Molineux home game where support for him will be guaranteed after such a great start at the Kingpower. Can the new manager bounce back continue today? Once again it will not be easy with Man Utd, sore and wounded, looking for their own rebound of form to prove the doubters wrong, however it could be argued that we won’t have a better set of circumstances to play them today.
We haven’t good form versus this opposition going into this match, losing the last 4 premier league clashes with them including that remarkable 4-3 Molineux defeat in February, a gutting finale for Wolves. Our last win against Man Utd was in January 2022, nearly 3 years ago, when Moutinho got the winner at Old Trafford, and with Bruno Lage in charge! In fact we haven’t beaten Man Utd at Molineux since April 2019, under Nuno. Both of those victories literally seem like an age ago now.
Team news includes Lemina is due for a fitness test to prior to inclusion in the squad and RAN is available again after the suspension. I would imagine he will come in for The Doc, just hope his attitude and discipline has changed, we need players on the pitch, not in the stands …. Hopefully Pereira has got an early handle on that. Other than that, I expect Pereira to keep, largely, to that winning team. Whilst a brilliant win, the Leicester match indicated there is still work to be done in defence, Vardy left them for dust on a few occasions, nevertheless there seemed to be a better and improved collective response from the team to defend. More of the same please! Up from, Cunha will continue prior to his FA hearing and I’d be happy to see Guedes in the starting lineup following his continuing positive team contributions.
A couple of boxing day facts, firstly Man Utd hold an English record of 54 wins for these festive fixtures, whilst for Wolves we are unbeaten in our last 7 boxing day matches, winning 5 and drawing 2.
All the best to the lads and Pereira today, we need the boost of this new man to persist and permeate throughout the club …. In that respect, everything crossed.
This is another live match available on TV or online via Amazon with a 5.30pm kick off. Please leave your thoughts and comments in the thread below,
Seasons Greetings to you all.
UTW
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:01:06:12:18:02 by Ivybridge Wolf.
Subs: Johnstone, Hwang, Dawson, Rodrigo, Doyle, Forbs, Bellegarde, Meupiyou, Lima.
Still plenty of nervy moments to endure as we sat back a little at 1-0 and invited pressure, but overall a terrific 3 points!! As Andy said, it’s always great to beat Man Utd, regardless of their league position, form or otherwise.
I’m not sure the corner was intended to go straight in, Cunha thinks so (!! 😂) nevertheless the way we filled the 6 yard box, there was intent in the way he delivered the ball. Ridiculous protestations from Onana to claim a foul, although you always worry with VAR.
What really pleased me was the effort when off the ball, the whole team worked so hard to get the ball back when out of possession and they also, to a man, maintained their discipline.
Larsen frustrated me a little, he needs to do better holding the line, but to be over critical would be harsh on a day to celebrate, even though they were reduced to 10 men. That second Fernandes tackle on Semedo was mad, but ultimately great for us. As an aside, RAN looked absolutely spent by the end again, just like v Ipswich.
the second goal was a joy to watch, the Doyle tackle, then the Doyle pass (another brilliant ball, like v Brighton) and once Cunha was through and with Hwang in support , for once I never felt like we’d miss!!
Another great contribution by Cunha, love his skill and tenacity when on form, the big question is how will he fare under the scrutiny of the FA panel. Their decision will be so vital for us in the short term. I’ve no idea when it’s due to convene, even so I’m grateful it couldn’t be sorted before Christmas.
Spurs next up on Sunday, the fixtures keep coming, the next as important as the last. Early days but My sapped enthusiasm is returning and I’m no longer down in the dumps I have a ticket v Bristol City and Arsenal!!
UTW!!