Manchester United are coming off an uneven week. The Red Devils defeated PSG 3-1 on the road, mounting a huge comeback on their way to reach the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, but losing to Arsenal this past weekend. But now Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men must change their focus. With the FA Cup quarterfinals this weekend against Wolverhampton this weekend, Manchester United need to bounce back quickly. Another sloppy display could prevent The Red Devils from clinching silverware this term.
Team News
Alexis Sanchez is the only unavailable player ahead of this match due to a knee injury. Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku is questionable due to a sore foot, and he will reportedly be a game-time decision. Jesse Lingard and Ander Herrera have been training all week, and Phil Jones is also available for this encounter. Antonio Valencia and Matteo Darmian are also questionable, too. Ashley Young, meanwhile, got suspended after picking up a second yellow card during the previous FA Cup match against Arsenal.
On the other hand, the Wolves are at full strength. During the pre-match press conference, manager Nuno Espirito Santo revealed he doesn’t have any injury concerns.
Form guide
Manchester United’s form during the FA Cup run this season has been absolutely stellar. The Red Devils debuted in the third round when they dispatched Reading to the tune of a 2-0 score, but then had to take care of two Top 6 Premier League sides. They defeated Arsenal in the fourth round (3-1) and then eliminated Chelsea (2-0) in the fifth round. Both Arsenal and Chelsea were away games, though. As a result, this match will be United’s third consecutive Cup encounter on the road against a Premier League opponent.
The Wolves have also looked impressive during this Cup run. They began with a shocking 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the third round, but they had more problems than expected in the fourth round since they required a replay to get past League One strugglers Shrewsbury in round four, eventually winning 3-2 at Molineux. They took on Bristol City in the previous round, and secured a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from Ivan Cavaleiro.
What is our recent record against Wolves?
United have previously faced Wolves on 96 occasions and boast the upper hand over the years, winning 46 times, drawing 18 and losing 32. The last time these two sides met in the FA Cup came in 2006, when Sir Alex Ferguson’s side recorded a comfortable 3-0 victory.
Predicted outcome
Manchester United won’t have the injury concerns they faced in recent matches. And they look like the better side in this match, based on both form and morale. As things stand right now, it is likely that this match will feature only Manchester United scoring. Manchester United will certainly start this game as favourites, and shouldn’t have problems to win here.
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