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Boxing Man United vs Wolves Bet Builder Tips, Opta Stats, Player Props: Wolves’ Nightmare Opener In The Theatre Of Dreams
Man United vs Wolves Bet Builder Tips, Opta Stats, Player Props
Old Trafford hosts the final game of the opening round of Premier League action on Monday night as Manchester United welcome a Wolves side who’ll have a fresh face in the dugout.
There are plenty of stats and facts within the preview that support the bet builder selections. It may not be the most entertaining 90 minutes of football, but it’s the Premier League, and it’s so good to have it back underway.
Bet Builder odds: 3.25
England, Premier League, August 14th, 20:00 (UK)
Odds via bet365 as at 05:00, August 10th 2023. Odds may now differ.
Man United vs Wolves: Suitable Stats The Way To Tackle Monday Night Football
- Wolves have lost their opening league game in each of the last two seasons, last doing so in three consecutive campaigns between 1988-89 and 1990-91.
- Manchester United conceded fewer home goals than any other side in the Premier League last season (10), while only Nottingham Forest (11) scored fewer away from home than Wolves (12) last term.
- Having been unbeaten in their first four Premier League meetings with Man Utd following their return to the division in 2018 (W1 D3), Wolves have now lost five of their last six against the Red Devils.
See here for a rundown of the most head-turning stats in our weekly partnership with OPTA: OPTA Stats x bettingexpert Match Day One Preview.
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Under 3.5 Goals
Erik ten Hag’s side performed excellently at home last season; they won 15 matches in the Premier League and lost just once, which came on the opening day against an impressive Brighton side. Only their city rivals, Manchester City, earned more points when hosts, but no one bettered their goals conceded with just 10.
Wolves have changed their manager with just a matter of days until the season gets underway; Gary O’Neil has taken charge of the club after Julen Lopetegui departed earlier in the week. O’Neil played a considerable role in keeping Bournemouth from being a Championship side, and there’s certainly an argument saying that he was unfairly sacked from his position.
No side scored fewer goals than Wolves’ 31 last campaign, and only two sides performed worse on the road. Just three players scored more than two league goals last time out, those being Ruben Neves, Daniel Podence and Hwang Hee-Chan.
It may come as a surprise, but 16 of the 19 games at Old Trafford last season witnessed three or fewer goals. Victories over Arsenal and Chelsea, as well as a 2-2 draw with Leeds, were the only games to see a hefty goal tally.
Wolves’ record for a lack of goals is even stronger; 17 of their 19 away days saw three or fewer strikes. They can be tricky to open up at times, and players will want to impress with a new boss in charge.
Manchester United’s attacking options have improved with the addition of Rasmus Hojlund, but they scored considerably fewer goals than the rest of the sides who finished in the top six. It’s clear they’re a force at home, they’ll be expected to keep a clean sheet on Monday night, and that’s why I’ve backed this selection.
Wolves Over 3.5 Corners
Despite Man United’s home dominance, they still conceded plenty of corners consistently. Fifteen Premier League sides arrived here and accumulated four or more corners across 2022/23, which includes Wolves, who racked up seven.
I expect Wolves to sit back in a tight defensive unit and allow United the ball. They’ll pounce on the counter with their pace on either flank. They managed four or more corners in 11 separate away trips, a solid amount for a side that struggled on the road and lacked attacking penetration throughout the campaign.
Both Teams To Receive A Card
Simon Hooper is the man in the middle for this clash; the 41-year-old officiated 29 games in the top flight last season and booked both sides on 21 different occasions.
Wolves were top of the charts when it came to card collecting last campaign; the West Midlands club received 84 yellow cards in 2022/23, an average of just over 2.20 per 90. Erik ten Hag’s side weren’t too far behind. They saw 78 bookings brandished in their direction. In both meetings last season, the card angle won comfortably.
This game may not be the most entertaining watch of the opening round, but seeing how the visitors set up will be interesting. Gary O’Neil has a tough job on his hands; he’ll need to improve the side’s lack of goals from the previous season. There’s no doubt that they’ll put up a fight here. Games are often very tight between these two, and with the bet builder selection winning in the previous five meetings, there’s a good chance a sixth will be added to the streak.
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