Manchester United vs. Wolves Preview: Classic Encounter, Recent Form, Team News, Prediction & More

After a week of European competition concludes, Manchester United host Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday in the Premier League, with both sides having won their last two league outings.

After a shaky start, the Red Devils have put together three successive wins across the board and recorded a impressive 3-0 win in Bern on Wednesday night to open their UEFA Champions League campaign, as the pressure on boss Jose Mourinho has lifted somewhat.

Similarly, after a period of adaptation to life back in the top flight, Wolves have taken seven points from their last three games and held champions Manchester City 1-1 at Molineux last month.

With both sides having strung together an unbeaten run of late, something must give this weekend as the two sides meet at Old Trafford.

Here is all you need to know ahead of this weekend's clash at the Theatre of Dreams.

Classic Encounter

As the two sides met in the Fourth Round of the League Cup in 2010, Old Trafford bore witness to a five-goal thriller, as Javier Hernandez's 90th-minute snatched a dramatic winner for the hosts.

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After United flop Bebe scored a rare goal for the hosts, before full-back George Elokobi leveled on the hour mark. 

Park Ji-Sung and Kevin Foley then exchanged goals for both teams in the final twenty minutes, before Mexican Hernandez broke Wolves hearts with a las -gasp goal in the dying seconds.

Recent Form

After back-to-back losses against Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur, Mourinho looked direction-less and without support at the club, but after a tricky period, the Portuguese has steered the United ship out of choppy waters.

Following their win against Young Boys in midweek, the hosts have won three games in succession, and last weekend brought an end to Watford's 100% start to the campaign, with a 2-1 win against the Hornets at Vicarage Road.

Both Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba have made strong starts to the campaign, with the Belgian marksman having netted five times for both club and country in recent weeks, while Pogba starred in the Red Devils' win in Switzerland.

United however, will be acutely aware of their malaises at home last season, and as Mourinho's charges play their first game in front of the Stretford End in almost a month, will be keen to also erase memories of their heavy loss to Spurs in August.

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Nuno Espirito Santo's side arrive in Manchester on Saturday, having hit a run of form - that began against the Citizens.

Winning their last two outings 1-0, the visitors have displayed their abilities at both ends of the pitch.

Those facets are set to be on show this weekend, as their wing-back system attempt to snuff out the exertions of the host's attack, knowing that offensively themselves the pace of Diogo Jota, Helder Costa and Adama Traore, coupled with Raul Jimenez's finishing ability in front of goal, could cause problems for United.

Team News

Manchester United: The return to action of Luke Shaw was a huge boost for Mourinho after sustaining what looked to be a serious head injury during the international break, however United will be without a trio of key players for this weekend.

Defenders Marcos Rojo (knock) and Phil Jones are both ruled out (hamstring), whilst midfielder Ander Herrera is also unavailable due to an ankle injury.

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Questions remain of forward Alexis Sanchez and having scored in midweek, Anthony Martial could threaten the Chilean's place in the starting XI.

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Wolves have an almost clean bill of health amongst their squad, with just forward Ivan Cavaleiro set to miss the trip to Old Trafford with a back problem.

After going unbeaten in their last three, Wolves boss Espirito Santo could name an unchanged side, but with Traore impressing during his two substitute appearances - having scored against West Ham United - the Spaniard is knocking on the door to start against United and will likely cause problems in attack.

Predicted Lineups

Manchester United (4-3-3) De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw; Matic, Fellaini, Pogba; Lingard, Lukaku, Sanchez 

Wolverhampton Wanderers (3-4-3) Patricio; Bennett, Coady, Boly; Doherty, Moutinho, Neves, Jonny; Traore, Jimenez, Jota  

Prediction

This will be a intriguing clash at Old Trafford. Some are seeing this as a meeting of Portugal's past and present in the dugout, as Mourinho locks horns with his less illustrious opposite number.

Adding further spice to the occasion, Espirito Santo was on the books of FC Porto under Mourinho when Dragoes won the European Cup in 2004, but was not favoured and played second fiddle to goalkeeper Vitor Baia for much of his time in Iberia.

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As documented, United's form at home has been sketchy during the last 12 months and the visitors will be keen to test a nervous United faithful this weekend.

United are unquestionably in form but as are Wolves and that could make this a rather cagey affair at first. The Black Country outfit will fancy their chances of finding the target and could draw first blood here, but with both sides eager to keep their unbeaten run of form going, a draw could be on the cards.

Prediction: Manchester United 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers