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As the Premier League season nears its end, Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers meet at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon for their next league clash. Wolves have secured their spot in the Premier League for the 2023-24 season after assuring themselves with a 1-0 win over West Midlands rivals Aston Villa last weekend, whereas Manchester United was beaten at West Ham United in their last game.
Despite possessing a one-point lead over their Merseyside rivals with a game in hand and just two points worse off than Newcastle United, Manchester United‘s recent record of just two wins from their last six in all tournaments is hardly encouraging. However, they can take pride in their 27-game unbeaten streak at Old Trafford in all tournaments, which includes five successive Premier League clean sheets on home soil, shipping a league-low eight goals at the Theatre of Dreams all season.
On the other hand, Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui has hailed Premier League survival as his most important achievement in football following his team’s derby success. Wolves hit the coveted 40-point mark and guaranteed a spot in the big time for 2023-24 in the process. 13th-placed Wolves are currently ten points clear of the relegation zone with just three games remaining, having not had their away form to thank for their Premier League status.
In their last meetings, Manchester United emerged victorious over Wolves 1-0 at Molineux last December, while Wolves made the Red Devils’ start to 2022 miserable with a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford last January. Another low-scoring affair is anticipated between the two sides, with Wolves having won just twice on the road all season.
As both teams prepare to head into the game, it is worth noting that Manchester United is expected to be without injured players such as Lisandro Martinez, Phil Jones, Tom Heaton, Donny van de Beek, Raphael Varane, and Scott McTominay. With neither Anthony Martial nor Wout Weghorst producing potent performances in the attack, Erik ten Hag may consider a recall for Alejandro Garnacho or Jadon Sancho for a wide position, allowing Marcus Rashford to spearhead the charge. In comparison, Lopetegui is expected to stick with the same crop of players who won over Villa in their last league clash, without making any major changes.
Manchester United is expected to come out on top with a 1-0 victory as they continue their strong home record against a Wolves side that will most likely be playing for pride. However, given the unpredictable nature of the Premier League this season, anything can happen, and football fans will be eagerly waiting to see how the game goes on Saturday afternoon.
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