Wolves welcome Manchester United to Molineux on Boxing Day as two newly-arrived Portuguese managers look to instigate a turnaround in fortunes for their sides.
The Vitor Pereira era got off to a fine start on Sunday as Wolves produced one of their best performances of the season, a 3-0 dispatching of Leicester clearing up much of the chaos that had led to Gary O’Neil’s exit. The veteran manager has waited more than a decade for another Premier League opportunity having narrowly missed out on the Everton job in 2013 and is desperate to make the most of it, with victory here lifting the club out of the relegation zone with Leicester not in action until later.
The visitors, meanwhile, concluded their efforts before Christmas with a poor showing against Bournemouth. A seventh defeat of the season leaves Manchester United languishing in the bottom half and with tough fixtures against Liverpool and Newcastle to come over the next few days, Ruben Amorim may need a result here to generate some momentum heading into the back half of the season.
Follow all of the latest updates from Molineux in our live blog below:
Half-time: Wolves 0-0 Man Utd
All square at the break. Not a classic, but a bright, even contest and both teams have had their moments. A big half-time team-talk required by both coaches with the game in the balance.
Lawrence Ostlere26 December 2024 18:18
Wolves 0-0 Man Utd
44 min: Wolves burst forwards with Cunha, who tries to scoop a pass into the path of Ait-Nouri, but it’s overhit and runs through to Onana.
Lawrence Ostlere26 December 2024 18:16
Wolves 0-0 Man Utd
41 min: Guedes clatters through Ugarte to pinch to the ball in a dangerous area and then fires away a shot, but he’s whistled for a foul in the process.
Lawrence Ostlere26 December 2024 18:15
Wolves 0-0 Man Utd
38 min: Another switch to Ait-Nouri gives the wing-back the chance to dribble at United’s Mazraoui, who concedes a corner blocking a cross on the byline. The set-piece is cleared away, a deflected Semedo shot earns another corner, and that’s cleared too.
Lawrence Ostlere26 December 2024 18:10
Wolves 0-0 Man Utd
35 min: Ait-Nouri drills a cross through the six-yard box but it’s a little too close to the goalkeeper Onana, and too far away from his fowards who can’t quite reach it.
Lawrence Ostlere26 December 2024 18:07
Wolves 0-0 Man Utd
33 min: A smart move by United on the left wing ends with Joao Gomes clattering into Bruno Fernandes, and the Wolves’ player is booked. Bruno will deliver the free-kick from wide… and Martinez’s header is collected by Sa.
Lawrence Ostlere26 December 2024 18:04
Wolves 0-0 Man Utd
30 min: Bruno Fernandes tries to cross from the left wing but it’s easily cleared. United are lacking ideas in the final third and Hojlund has looked isolated at times in this half, particularly when they try to counter-attack.
Lawrence Ostlere26 December 2024 18:02
Wolves 0-0 Man Utd
26 min: Strand Larsen leaps well over Maguire to win a header and powers it down into the ground and towards goal, but Onana gets across well to push the ball away from his post. Wolves earn a corner but it leads to nothing.
Lawrence Ostlere26 December 2024 17:57
Wolves 0-0 Man Utd
24 min: A scary moment at the back for Wolves as Sa is closed down by Hojlund and only just evades the striker’s press.
This game has been pretty even so far, without any really clear sights of goal.
Lawrence Ostlere26 December 2024 17:55
Wolves 0-0 Man Utd
22 min: Dalot’s curling shot from the edge of the box is pushed away to safety by Sa.
Lawrence Ostlere26 December 2024 17:53
