Wolverhampton have reached a point where a change in management was inevitable. Their first match under Vítor Pereira resulted in a victory for the team. Meanwhile, Manchester United have been facing a crisis even after a recent managerial change. Who will triumph in this Portuguese managerial derby?
Wolverhampton secured a clean sheet win—only their second this season—bringing their total wins to three after defeating Leicester City away (3:0). Leicester wasn't the toughest opponent for a managerial debut. Curiously, at Molineux Stadium, they have collected fewer points (4 out of 12) and scored fewer goals (12 out of 27), despite playing just one fewer match.
Perhaps Manchester United lacked the energy following their clash with Tottenham Hotspur, where they had to mount a comeback to salvage a draw. Why were Manchester United not as proactive until Bournemouth netted the opening goal? Their 23 shots on goal and 2.28 xG went to waste. Kepa Arrizabalaga proved more steadfast than André Onana: seven saves compared to Onana's two. He did not fare better than Altay Bayındır in the match against Tottenham Hotspur, where he also made just two saves from six attempts.
With such unpredictable teams, predicting a winner in advance is challenging. What seems more apparent is that both sides are likely to concede, despite Wolverhampton recently keeping a clean sheet. Manchester United’s attack is on a different level, and Kepa Arrizabalaga is arguably more reliable than José Sá.
