This Boxing Day will see Vitor Pereira take to the Molineux dugout for the first time as Wolves head coach, as his side look to build on their win over Leicester City when they host Manchester United in 2024’s festive fixture.
1 | Roll Call
It is still yet to be seen if Wolves will have top scorer Matheus Cunha available after the forward was charged with misconduct by the FA following an incident after Wolves’ previous match at Molineux against Ipswich Town, with the club still awaiting a decision, meaning he was able to play in Sunday’s win over Leicester City. Rayan Ait-Nouri will give Pereira a difficult decision to make in the left wing-back slot as he returns from suspension – although Rodrigo Gomes might keep his place after producing an impressive performance at the weekend – while Mario Lemina could also return from injury which kept him out of the visit to the King Power.
Manchester United are sweating on the fitness of defender Matthijs De Ligt after the Dutchman missed the last two defeats against Tottenham Hotspur and AFC Bournemouth through illness. He was expected to return at the weekend, but he remained absent, so might make his return at Molineux on Thursday evening. Ruben Amorim will be without fellow defender Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw with the pair currently unavailable through injury, while Mason Mount limped off in United’s win over Manchester City two weeks ago and is not ready to make his comeback.
2 | The Stat Pack
Goals
Matheus Cunha | 9
Alejandro Garnacho | 8
Assists
Goncalo Guedes | 4
Bruno Fernandes | 10
Biggest win
Leicester 0-3 Wolves | December 2024
Man United 4-0 Everton | December 2024
Cards
Rayan Ait-Nouri | 5
Lisandro Martinez | 6
Clean sheets
Jose Sa | 2
Andre Onana | 7
A beautiful @rubendsneves_ strike against Man United 💫#WOLMUN | @MNEGlobal pic.twitter.com/H92vht7MmK
— Wolves (@Wolves) December 24, 2024
3 | Journey to Boxing Day
The Vitor Pereira era got off to the perfect possible start earlier this week when the Portuguese saw his players score three unanswered goals in the first 45 minutes away at Leicester City before seeing out the second half with a professional showing across the midlands. The Old Gold received a new manager bounce at the King Power Stadium, after Wolves had lost their previous four outings before Pereira’s arrival, with defeats to AFC Bournemouth, Everton, West Ham United and Ipswich Town signalling the end of Gary O’Neil’s tenure at Molineux. Sunday’s win over Leicester puts Wolves just two points behind the Foxes, who are currently sat in 17th place safety.
It's been a difficult season for Manchester United so far, but the Red Devils also received a new manager boost earlier in the campaign when Amorim first came into the club and United recorded a 4-0 drubbing of Everton. However, with just the one win from their last four – coming against local rivals Manchester City in a game which will not live long in the memory for the neutrals watching that day – coupled with falling out of the Carabao Cup to Tottenham Hotspur last week, Amorim’s side will be wanting to bounce back when they step foot onto the Molineux turf in front of the Amazon Prime Video cameras on Thursday evening.
4 | Taking down the Red Devils under the lights
Having also knocked Manchester United out of the FA Cup a few weeks earlier, Wolves beat the Red Devils twice in the same season for the first time since 1979/80 back in April 2019 when Diogo Jota’s strike and an own goal from Chris Smalling secured all three Premier League points at Molineux. The Old Gold had to come from behind this time, however, as Scott McTominay pounced early on, but Wolves turned the game on its head as their character shone through – and helped by Ashley Young’s sending off late on.
Wolves | Patricio, Doherty, Bennett, Coady, Boly, Vinagre (Jonny 76), Neves (Saiss 84), Dendoncker, Moutinho, Jota (Cavaleiro 74), Jimenez.
Leicester | De Gea, Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw, Fred (Jones 65), McTominay, Pogba, Dalot (Pereira 84), Lingard, Lukaku (Martial 74).