What sort of test will Wolves pose?

The Reds will be looking to make it seven points from a possible nine from our opening three matches in the Black Country at the weekend, having picked up a win and a draw in the first two matches. 

Ahead of our visit to the Midlands, our panel of ex-Reds on MUTV’s The Debate sat down to discuss all the key talking points in the build-up, on the latest episode. 

That included what sort of test Bruno Lage’s side will pose for United on Sunday, and former Reds striker Danny Webber has been impressed with what he has seen in the early stages of this campaign from the Wanderers. 

“They had a right go yesterday [Sunday] against their old manager, that would have been a big motivation for them,” he said, speaking to host Stewart Gardner on this week’s show. 

“Twenty-five shots against Tottenham – that’s brilliant, but he is a big miss for them, Nuno Espirito Santo. So it will be interesting to see how they perform all season long, because he was a big motivating factor and they’ve lost the goalkeeper as well, Rui Patricio. It will be an interesting one.”

If you are looking for an indication of how Sunday’s match could shape up, could the fixture’s previous results give an indication? 

We have faced the Molineux club nine times since their top-flight return in 2018, with all-but one of those matches decided by one goal or ending in a draw. 

“Even in the home games, you’re talking 1-0s or even 1-1s,” said MUTV pundit Ben Thornley. “They’re just so incredibly tight; there never seems to be many goals in the game. 

“They have had a couple of really good seasons, but I feel like this season they’re going through a transitional period,” he added. 

“Yes, they’ve got [Raul] Jimenez back, but I just don’t think Wolves are going to be as forceful as they have been in previous seasons and, with the loss of the manager as well, I think this is a really good time to play them.”

Sunday’s opponents will likely have the aforementioned Jimenez leading the line for them, but who will lead ours and how will United line-up overall? 

Former Reds defender David May thinks we could see some changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Southampton last weekend, including a United debut for Raphael Varane. 

“I expect to see him [Varane]. I think he’s got to start [Jadon] Sancho as well, Mason [Greenwood] down the middle. We don’t know where [Edinson] Cavani is with his fitness but I’m champing at the bit for him to get back in the team because I think he adds that spice up front that we need. 

“I think we can go there and win the game – we have to go there and win the game because we’ll be three games in. If we lose, we’ll be on four points, if we draw, we’ll be on five points from three games. We have to get the three points.

“Wolves is never easy, and we have to make sure that we turn up there and put on a performance that represents Manchester United.”

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