A remodelled Manchester United take on beleaguered Wolves at Old Trafford. There was something of a Premier League Christmas miracle at Old Trafford on 26 December as Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim started with a back four for the first time. Amorim famously said in September that even the Pope could not persuade him to change his favoured 3-4-3 set-up, but his switch in formation paid off against Newcastle. The Red Devils had just 24% possession in the second half but held on for victory - and a rare clean sheet.
A remodelled Manchester United take on beleaguered Wolves at Old Trafford.
There was something of a Premier League Christmas miracle at Old Trafford on 26 December as Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim started with a back four for the first time.
Amorim famously said in September that even the Pope could not persuade him to change his favoured 3-4-3 set-up, but his switch in formation paid off against Newcastle. The Red Devils had just 24% possession in the second half but held on for victory - and a rare clean sheet.
In fact, it was just their second in the Premier League this season, and they will now be aiming for consecutive league shutouts for the first time in the Amorim era, with the last such occasion coming in September 2024 under Erik ten Hag.
United will be delighted they were able to win without captain and talisman Bruno Fernandes, but will surely be worried that their already-weakened squad – who were without seven senior players through injury and international duty last weekend – suffered a further blow when Mason Mount went off at half-time against Newcastle.
United lost their last league game of the year in both 2023 and 2024, but with the side back on the cusp of the top four, and facing the worst team in the top flight, there is plenty of reason for optimism for both Tuesday evening and the new year.
Wolves haunted by more unwanted records
Wolves fans must feel like not a game goes past at the moment without their team challenging for new unwanted records. Last time out at Liverpool, their 18th consecutive game without a victory set a new mark for the worst winless start to a Premier League season.
Things don't get any easier as they move from Anfield to Old Trafford, looking to avoid equalling the most Premier League defeats in a calendar year of 26 held by Ipswich Town in 1994.
But if they can avoid a 26th loss, they can at least start 2026 on a more positive note. There have been small glimmers of hope in December: they were unlucky to concede an injury-time goal at Arsenal earlier this month, while they made Liverpool work hard for a win at the weekend.
And in teenager Mateus Mane, who made his first league start against the Reds on Saturday, they look to have unearthed a future star.
That must give them hope that they can at least avoid another defeat, which would be a 12th in a row and put them on their own in third place in the Premier League record books.
However, another failure to win would see other dreaded milestones hover into view, including Bolton's 1902-03 top-flight record of 22 matches from the start of the season without a win.
Category: General Sports
