The Theatre of Dreams is the venue for Gary O’Neil’s Wolverhampton Wanderers baptism on Monday night, as Manchester United welcome their Midlands counterparts to their headquarters in gameweek one of the Premier League.
While the Red Devils are gearing up for a second season under the watchful eye of Erik ten Hag, their visitors are in disarray after the inevitable – albeit untimely – departure of Julen Lopetegui.
Team News
Manchester United
- With Harry Kane prioritising German football supremacy with Bayern Munich over his pursuit of the all-time Premier League goalscoring record, Man United have taken a punt on Danish protege Rasmus Hojlund. However, the former Atalanta BC striker will be forced to wait a little while for his debut due to a back injury.
- Hojlund is joined in a packed infirmary by Kobbie Mainoo (ankle), Dean Henderson (thigh), Anthony Martial (thigh), Tyrell Malacia (muscle), Thomas Heaton (calf) and Amad Diallo (knee), so the rejuvenated Marcus Rashford should operate at the tip of the hosts’ attack.
- Rashford’s 20 home goals across all tournaments in the 2022-23 campaign was second only to the record-breaking Erling Braut Haaland (35) out of all Premier League players, but while Hojlund will watch on from the sidelines, competitive debuts should come the way of Andre Onana and Mason Mount.
Wolves
- In contrast, Wolves enter the opening gameweek of the season with a near clean bill of health, although Matheus Cunha is still a slight doubt due to a minor injury, which saw him miss a couple of days’ worth of training last week.
- However, O’Neil is optimistic that the Brazilian attacker will be fine to line up at Old Trafford, and he will undoubtedly spearhead the charge if fit enough following the departures of misfiring duo Diego Costa and Raul Jimenez.
- Sasa Kalajdzic and Fabio Silva are also bidding to play their way into O’Neil’s good books early doors, although the exits of Nathan Collins, Ruben Neves, Adama Traore, Joao Moutinho and Conor Coady have also left a few gaping holes in the Wolves squad.
Possible Lineup
Manchester United: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Eriksen; Antony, Fernandes, Mount; Rashford
Wolves: Sa; Semedo, Kilman, Dawson, Ait-Nouri; Nunes, Lemina, Gomes; Sarabia, Cunha, Podence
Prediction Analysis
Only West Ham United notched fewer goals on the road than Wolves did last term, and an opening-day meeting with the division’s stingiest defensive side at home should follow the script to a tee.
It may be as you were for Man United in the striker department while Hojlund continues on the road to recovery, but an opening-day maximum should still come the Red Devils’ way on Monday.
Our Prediction is Manchester United 2-0 Wolves