team news
Wolves wing-back Rayan Ait-Nouri is back in action after serving a one-match ban. Midfielder Mario Lemina will have a fitness test after missing the Leicester win with a calf issue.
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim needs to decide if Marcus Rashford, unsettled at the club, will feature. United are keeping an eye on Matthijs de Ligt, recovering from illness, while Victor Lindelof could face late checks after sitting out Sunday’s loss to Bournemouth.
Vitor pereira's press conference
There was no press conference for this match but here is a summary for Vitor’s comments ahead of the Manchester United match for the club website.
Focus on Hard Work: Wolves head coach Vitor Pereira emphasises hard work during Christmas to prepare for the Boxing Day match against Manchester United.
Improvements Needed: Despite a 3-0 win at Leicester City, Pereira aims to improve tactical and defensive play in the team.
Mario Lemina Update: Lemina’s injury is minor; Pereira is hopeful he can play against Manchester United.
Building Player Confidence: Pereira stresses team contribution and discipline, especially for Gonçalo Guedes, urging players to balance individuality with teamwork.
Ait-Nouri’s Return: The return of Ait-Nouri brings diversity to the squad, giving Pereira tactical flexibility.
Training Strategy: Training sessions focus on short, tactical drills to maintain recovery while addressing game improvements.
Vision for the Team: Pereira plans to enhance possession, defensive organization, and goal positioning in the coming weeks.
Communication Across Languages: Pereira communicates effectively using multiple languages and universal football terms.
On Portuguese Rivalry: Pereira respects fellow Portuguese manager Ruben Amorim, highlighting his tactical and strategic talents.
Philosophy on Systems: Dynamic changes in systems during matches reflect Pereira’s modern coaching principles, moving beyond rigid formations.
MATCH STATS & FACTS
Head to head
Manchester United are looking for a fifth consecutive away win against Wolves.
Wolves haven’t beaten United at home since April 2019, a run of six matches in all competitions.
A 97th-minute winner gave United a 4-3 win at Molineux the last time the teams met in February.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
This is the fourth time Wolves have been in the Premier League relegation zone on Christmas Day. They went on to be relegated in 2003-04 but stayed up in 2010-11 and 2022-23.
Wolves could equal the Premier League record for most home defeats in a calendar year: 13 by Ipswich Town in 1994.
They have kept just one league clean sheet at Molineux this season.
Nonetheless, Vitor Pereira can become the second Portuguese manager to win his first two Premier League fixtures, emulating Jose Mourinho at Chelsea in August 2004.
Wanderers are unbeaten in their past seven Boxing Day league games (W5, D2).
Matheus Cunha has been involved in nine goals in his last nine Premier League games, scoring six and assisting three.
Gonçalo Guedes has been directly involved in six goals across his last eight Premier League appearances, with two goals and four assists.
Manchester United
Manchester United have lost three of their past four league fixtures, conceding the opening goal in all of them.
United’s tally of 22 points is their lowest after 17 league matches of a season since 1989-90. They are in the bottom half of the table at Christmas for the first time since that season.
They have conceded 17 Premier League goals from set pieces (excluding penalties) in 2024, which is their most in a calendar year.
Ruben Amorim has taken just six points from his first six league games in charge.
Manchester United hold the English league record of 54 wins on Boxing Day.
With four goals and six assists, Amad Diallo has been involved in 10 goals in his last 11 appearances for Manchester United in all competitions.
Bruno Fernandes has failed to score in any of his eight Premier League matches versus Wolves.
match officials
Referee: Tony Harrington. Assistants: Darren Cann, Marc Perry. Fourth official: Andrew Kitchen. VAR: Matt Donohue. Assistant VAR: Timothy Wood.
match info
This one is a 5.30pm kick off at Molineux on Boxing Day and will be televised by Amazon Prime.
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