Former Celtic star Chris Sutton has predicted Manchester United will endure another frustrating night when they take on Premier League rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers on Boxing Day.
Manchester United suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday, 22nd December. Ruben Amorim’s side looked unorganized going forward, did not take care of the ball, and made it quite easy for the Cherries to make inroads into the box.
In the 29th minute, an unmarked Dean Huijsen headed the ball into the back of the net from a free-kick. Just past the hour mark, Noussair Mazraoui conceded a penalty after bringing down Justin Kluivert inside the box. Kluivert coolly slotted the spot kick to make it 2-0 for Bournemouth. Minutes later, Antoine Semenyo finished a sweeping move to make it 3-0.
Chris Sutton Predicts a Draw for Manchester United
Manchester United will look to return to winning ways when they travel to Molineux Stadium for their clash with Wolves on 26th December. Sutton, however, does not think the Red Devils will have their way this week.
In his BBC column, Sutton shared:
“Why would anyone look at Ruben Amorim’s side and back them to beat Wolves? I can’t think of any compelling reason why anything will be different here [than the game against Bournemouth].
“I feel sorry for Amorim because he arrived with such excitement around his appointment but, only a few weeks later, he must be fully aware of how big a job he faces to turn things around.”
He added:
“United have wasted a fortune to build this squad and, as Amorim keeps saying, he is still trying to find his best XI. This is a trial period for him but he has got to deal with issues like Marcus Rashford’s future as well. He has got a lot to sort out.
“It is hard to know what Wolves will be like either, though. One of the positives from their win over Leicester in Vitor Pereira’s first game was a clean sheet but you have to remember that the Foxes are bang average. So, as poor as United have been, I am not going for Wolves to win this either. Instead, I think this will be a tight game and it has got draw written all over it.”
Sutton’s prediction: 1-1
Manchester United and Wolves have crossed paths 113 times over the years. United have won 56, Wolves 37, and 20 games have ended in a draw.
