Man United vs. Wolves: A battle between two Portuguese managers.
(Baonghean.vn) - Manchester United's opponent this week is newly promoted Wolverhampton, who are by no means easy targets for the Red Devils to take down. Coach Nuno Santos will bring a squad of young Portuguese players to Old Trafford to face Jose Mourinho.
Leaving behind a difficult start to August, the Red Devils surged strongly in September. They won every game during this period in both the Premier League and the Champions League. Instead of the lackluster start to the season, the MU players were seen cheerful on the pitch, in training, and in their daily lives.
The guests are strong and youthful.
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| Manchester United have won 4 out of 5 matches against Wolves. Photo: Internet |
Their opponents this week are newly promoted Wolves, who are just behind MU, one point behind, and are managed by coach Santo. The Portuguese coach has been in charge of Wolves since May 2017 after leaving Porto. In the past, Santo led Porto to four Portuguese league titles in the 2002/03, 2003/04, 2007/08, and 2008/09 seasons.
In his very first year, the 44-year-old strategist made his mark by leading Wolves to win the 2017/18 Championship, thereby securing promotion to the Premier League for the 2018/19 season. Santo is expected to continue helping the Molineux team create surprises in England's most exciting league this season.
Immediately after joining the Premier League, manager Santo brought in two prominent players: midfielder Joao Moutinho from Monaco for €5.6 million, and goalkeeper Rui Patricio on a free transfer. In addition, Wolves also permanently signed winger Diogo Jota from Atletico Madrid for €14 million, and center-back Willy Boly from Porto (€12 million).
Wolves are practically a mini-Portugal national team with eight outstanding players such as Rui Patricio, Joao Moutinho, Ivan Cavaleiro, Ruben Neves, Helder Costa, Diogo Jota, Pedro Goncalves, and Ruben Vinagre.
Alongside them are Mexican player Raul Jimenez, two young Spanish stars Adama Traore and Jonny Castro, and Brazilian player Leo Bonatini.
That team is superior to the Red Devils in terms of technique and fighting spirit. With a 3-4-3 formation, Raul Jimenez as the central striker, and Adama Traore and Diogo Jota on the wings, they will truly threaten Jose Mourinho on the pitch at Old Trafford. This team, nicknamed the Wolves, is expected to spring a surprise when they face the Red Devils tonight.
Homeowners revived their businesses.
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| Expected starting lineups for MU and Wolves. Photo: Internet |
Manchester United's resurgence lies in their fighting spirit. MU fans have seen their beloved players take to the field like warriors. A prime example is Nemanja Matic's relentless attack against Watford to defend the scoreline. Even Paul Pogba knew how to put aside his disagreements with manager Mourinho to fight for MU's honor..
In the Champions League away match against Young Boys, the French midfielder scored a brace to help Manchester United secure a resounding 3-0 victory. After the match, Pogba himself affirmed the mental strength of the Red Devils: “Every player feels they belong here. We have a strong spirit and of course, Manchester United will perform well.”
From a tactical standpoint, MU no longer relies solely on Romelu Lukaku for possession, but instead applies pressure from multiple directions. Besides the midfield, defenders Chris Smalling and Ashley Young also participated in attacks and repeatedly threatened Watford's goal last week. Sanchez demonstrated his playmaking abilities, while Pogba showcased his world-class status with intelligent runs and his ability to appear and disappear within the penalty area.
It seems that, after the "central defender disaster," Mourinho has found his ideal central defensive pairing in Lindelof and Smalling. Both play simply, focusing on defending against aerial balls and keeping opposing forwards away from De Gea's goal. With Rashford and Matic suspended, and Jones, Herrera, and Rojo absent due to injury, Federer has a chance to play. After several games on the sidelines, the Brazilian midfielder has surely understood that this is an opportunity to compete against the young Portuguese stars and he cannot afford to lose.
At the start of the season, perhaps no one believed Wolves would be so close to Manchester United in the standings, trailing them by just one point. Few thought that the MU players would lack confidence and lose to Brighton and Tottenham in the early matches. Will the youthful energy of Wolves or the experience and composure of the home team, MU, prevail? The story will be revealed at the end of this match.
