Manchester United starts the road for redemption when they visit Wolverhampton Wanderers in what promises to be an entertaining Premier League game on Monday.
High expectations for Manchester United
Manchester United enters the upcoming season riding the momentum of their most successful campaign since 2016-17. Under Erik ten Hag’s inaugural leadership, Old Trafford witnessed the return of silverware with a Carabao Cup triumph over Newcastle United. This accomplishment was accompanied by the Red Devils’ ascent to the third spot in the league standings and a presence in the FA Cup final, where they faced Manchester City.
A promising future is ahead, marked by Manchester United’s re-entry into Champions League football and a slew of confirmed acquisitions including André Onana and Mason Mount. These additions are set to reshape the team into a formidable force capable of competing on multiple fronts.
In the early stages of ten Hag’s tenure, his squad endeavored to initiate play from the back and maintain ball possession. However, this abrupt shift in playing style presented challenges, leading to critical errors in the build-up that resulted in consecutive disheartening losses.
Responding swiftly, Erik ten Hag adapted his tactics to harness his players’ strengths. He tweaked the system to alleviate the ball-playing responsibilities of specific individuals, simultaneously fostering a higher frequency of counterattacks. This was achieved by adopting a deeper defensive stance and luring opponents into offensive actions in select matches.
Under ten Hag’s leadership, Manchester United encountered difficulties in converting their chances into goals, evident in a mere 53 goals scored by the team out of a 61.33 Expected Goals (xG) generated in the Premier League.
This discrepancy emphasized the necessity of securing former Atalanta striker Rasmus Højlund during the summer transfer window. Marcus Rashford had been tasked with filling the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in the absence of a number nine or center forward.
Wolverhampton Wanderers aim for return to Europe
Wolverhampton Wanderers have struggled to replicate their seventh-place finishes achieved post-promotion in 2018. The 2022-23 season was particularly forgettable, marked by their lowest points tally during that period. However, strategic moves made in January, such as the acquisitions of Craig Dawson and Mario Lemina, injected the combativeness that Wolverhampton Wanderers had been lacking.
Contrary to earlier reports, Julen Lopetegui is set to continue his role, but the club’s financial situation has shifted significantly since November. Notably, veteran players João Moutinho and Diego Costa departed, alongside Adama Traore. Funds generated from the sale of Ruben Neves are earmarked for squad rejuvenation, including the goalkeeping position.
The pursuit of value remains a priority, as signings like Nathan Collins (£20 million), Gonçalo Guedes (£30 million), and Matheus Nunes (£40 million, a club-record fee) yielded limited impacts. Sporting director Matt Hobbs emphasized the success of under-the-radar, budget-friendly signings, a strategy that financial constraints may enforce.
Strategically aligning their resources is crucial. Even with Fabio Silva’s return from productive loan spells, a proficient striker is imperative. Diego Costa, albeit semi-retired, brought more pranks than goals upon his mid-season arrival. Raúl Jiménez’s performance was compromised by his prior skull fracture and he’s with Fulham now, and Sasa Kalajdzic suffered an ACL injury merely 30 minutes into his debut last season and it’s hard to know what to expect from his this year.
The player to watch in this game is Marcus Rashford, who had 17 goals and five assists in 35 Premier League games last season. AccuScore gives Marcus Rashford a 58.36 percent chance to score against Wolverhampton Wanderers. He had 98 SCA and 14 GCA in 35 Premier League games this season.
FBRef defines SCA as “the two offensive actions leading directly to a shot, such as passes, dribbles and drawing fouls.” GCA is “the two offensive actions leading directly to a goal, such as passes, dribbles and drawing fouls.” Let’s take a closer look at where the value is at in this matchup.
DafaNews Picks
Team to Win (Regular Time)
• Manchester United 1.38
• Wolverhampton Wanderers 7.60
• Draw 5.20
Spread
• Manchester United -1. -1.5 (1.78)
• Wolverhampton Wanderers +1, +1.5 (1.98)
Total
• Over 3, 3.5 (1.85)
• Under 3, 3.5 (1.87)
Key Points to Consider
Head-to-Head: These two sides last matched up in Premier League action on May 13 and Manchester United won 2-0.
Projected Leaders
For Manchester United, Marcus Rashford has a 58.36 percent chance to net the ball. He averages 3.26 shots overall per sim, 2.03 shots on goal per and 0.86 goals per sim.
For Wolverhampton Wanderers, Hee Chan Hwang has a 4.52 percent chance to score. He averages 0.19 shots overall per sim, 0.1 shots on goal per and 0.05 goals per sim.
Analyst’s Pick
Manchester United 1.38
Two-star (out of four) AccuScore hot trend pick on Manchester United in this one. Average score in simulations is Manchester United 2.85 to Wolverhampton Wanderers 0.17.
