Ole Gunnar Solskjaer garnered a victory in his debut as full-time manager of Manchester United, with the Red Devils getting past Watford 2-1 at Old Trafford yesterday. Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford found the net, giving the club four double digit scorers in Premier League play for the first time since 1995-96.
United will next travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday night, looking to avenge a Wolves side that knocked them out of the FA Cup, in the quarterfinal round, two weekends ago. Let’s take a look at the updated fitness situation.
Long term absentees Matteo Darmian and Alexis Sanchez, the latter of which is out until late April with a knee injury, are not expected to feature. Club captain Valencia has not played for United since Jan. 2, but he did manage the full 90 minutes for Ecuador against the United States during the international break.
Another long term absentee, Marcos Rojo, did actually see the pitch yesterday, coming on in the 77′ for Anthony Martial.
Solskjaer described the FA Cup elimination at the hands of Wolves right before the international break as the worst his team his has played since he’s been in charge.
However, he suggested that the showing at home versus Watford yesterday might have been worse.
“After PSG, that was a mental challenge after the high of that,” the Norwegian told a post match news conference.
“We went to Arsenal, played really well and lost, and then we had the chance to get to the semifinal. That was a poorer performance than when we lost to Wolves.”
Obviously, United are hoping to make this trip to the Midlands a lot better than the last one.
Manchester United at Wolverhampton Wanderers FYIs
Kick-off: Tuesday April 2, Molineux, 7:45pm
United Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Form Guide: United WLWWD Wolves LDWLW
Google Result Probability: United win 47% Draw 27% Wolves in 26%
Odds via Coral: United 2.00, Draw 3.30, Wolves 3.90
Prediction: United 2, Wolves 0
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.