Manchester United will be bidding to make it three Premier League victories in a row when they travel to Molineux on Saturday afternoon to take on Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Red Devils are currently fifth in the table, one point behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, with a game in hand on the capital club, while Wolves sit 18th, boasting 13 points from 16 matches in 2022-23.
Lisandro Martinez returned to United training on Wednesday following his successful World Cup campaign with Argentina. The centre-back took part at Carrington as the Reds began preparations for Saturday’s outing.
It is unknown whether the trip to Molineux will come too soon for Martinez, although with Victor Lindelof missing the midweek win over Forest through illness and Luke Shaw having to play a makeshift centre-back role, we could see the South American come straight into the XI, just as Raphael Varane did on Tuesday after his campaign with France. Diogo Dalot, Jadon Sancho and Scott McTominay were also absent as our Premier League campaign resumed.
As for the hosts, Lopetegui doesn’t expect any issues with the soreness that forced winger Daniel Podence off early in their win over Everton on Boxing Day. The club’s new boss was hopeful of having Jonny and Boubacar Traore back for that visit to Goodison Park but still awaits their respective returns, along with that of Pedro Neto, who isn’t expected back in training before the new year.
Chiquinho and Sasa Kalajdzic are long-term absentees, while new signing Matheus Cunha cannot play as he does not officially join Wolves until January 1.
RECENT MEETINGS
The Reds lost 1-0 to Wolves at Old Trafford in the Premier League last season, the same scoreline by which we triumphed in the reverse fixture earlier on in the campaign.
Since the Midlanders’ return to the top flight in 2018/19, the teams have met 11 times, including on three occasions in the FA Cup. United have won four of those clashes across all competitions to three for Saturday’s hosts, while there have also been three draws.
Manchester United’s possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Shaw; Fernandes, Casemiro, Eriksen; Antony, Martial, Rashford
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