Prediction: Wolves vs Manchester United

5th February 2011

Wolverhempton slipped to the bottom of the standings as they lost to Bolton after conceding in injury time, which puts them in a very precarious situation before the clash with Premiership leaders. Manchester United are on fire after beating Aston Villa at Old Trafford and they should have no problems recording fourth successive win.

Even though they were situated in the relegation zone from the very start of the season, Wolverhampton occasionally showed glimpses of quality that helped keep the confidence high at the Molineux, but after losing three straight games in all competitions, Wolves find themselves in a real mess. Following the home defeats to Liverpool and Stoke, Mick McCarthy’s side had a great chance to bring one of the rare points from the travels as they looked to be heading for a draw at Reebok Stadium, but Ronald Zubar’s shocking mistake allowed Daniel Sturridge to hand Bolton the winner and left Wolves in despair. The team are now really low on confidence and their home form is no longer as impressive as it was few weeks ago, so Manchester United are likely to be too much for them at the moment. Stephen Hunt, Adlene Ghedioura and Michael Kightly are out with injuries, but Jamie O’Hara could be handed his first start.

Even though the Red Devils didn’t need a lot of time to climb to the top of the Premiership standings, their showings in the first part of the season were simply not good enough for the team of that stature. Wayne Rooney’s poor form was the main reason behind United’s under-par performances, so you can imagine how happy everybody at the club were when he bagged a brace against Aston Villa, thus showing he will soon be back at his best. With Dimitar Berbatov and Nani in remarkable form this season and evergreen Ryan Giggs showing he still has what it takes, United have got to be considered the favourites for the Premiership title. Darren Fletcher should start after recovering from an eye injury, while Rafael could also be in contention. Fergie’s men have significantly improved their away record of late and everything suggests they will record third straight victory on the road.

Conclusion

Wolves are largely struggling at the moment and they have absolutely nothing to hope for in the match against in-form United. With Wayne Rooney slowly returning to form, United are stronger than ever and they should have no problems winning this game.

Verdict: Away win Manchester United (2)

Best Odds: 4/9

Bookmaker: Bet365