The 1-1 Manchester United draw vs Wolverhampton Wanderers in a Premier League match at Old Trafford on Tuesday, December 30. The draw meant that United finished the year in sixth position in the Premier League table with 30 points in 19 matches. United have now won only eight of their 19 league matches, which means their winning percentage is less than 45%.
However, Manchester United draw with Wolves also meant that Arsenal ended the year with 15 more points – a gap that is likely to increase in the second half of the season. Manchester United draw with Wolves once again pointed out the Red Devils’ inability to win relatively easy matches at home.
Manchester United Draw With Wolverhampton Wanderers Came Without Bruno Fernandes
It is not the first time Manchester United have drawn with an lesser opposition this season. Admittedly, United were missing their talisman in the match against Wolves owing to an injury. Fernandes, quite unsurprisingly, has been United’s best attacking player this season. His absence meant that the Red Devils lacked creativity in their set-up. Not that they had much of it to begin with.
Patrick Dorgu looked to be his team’s most potent attacking threat once again and managed to put the ball into the net as well, albeit from an offside position. However, Benjamin Sesko failed to score once again and now has scored only two goals in 16 matches for United. Joshua Zirkzee scored against Wolves to take his season’s tally to two goals in 13 matches, which makes for poor reading.
Matheus Cunha tried, as he has been since he came to United at the start of the season. However, United sorely missed Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo, both of whom are playing at AFCON. Their attack through the right side of the pitch have been affected severely as a result. The absence of Fernandes, Amad and Mbeumo made United a much lesser team in terms of their attacking prowess.
Failing to score more than once against Wolves, who only have three points in 19 matches this season, pointed out United’s ineptness in attack quite clearly. Unless the Red Devils start scoring goals more easily and regularly, their position in the league table is not going to improve.
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United Must Ensure a Place in Any of the European Competitions Next Year
A spot in UEFA Champions League might be difficult to achieve. However, playing in Europa League is the bare minimum United should strive for. As of now, Sunderland, who are in the seventh position with 28 points with a match in hand, will have a chance to surpass United if they win their next game.
Not to mention the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, who have every chance of improving their position in the second half of the season. Therefore, the pressure will be firmly on Ruben Amorim’s men, as far as their final position in the league table is concerned.
The chasm that the top trio of Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa have between them and United is fairly obvious. As of now, Manchester United belong to the second tier of English football more than they do to the first.
Amorim will have to do something to reverse the tide if his side is to feature inside the top six by the end of the season.
Not being able to do so will jeopardise his position as the manager of the club. It remains to be seen whether the 40-year-old Portuguese is able to get his act together in the second half of the season.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Sportimage
Recording Date: 30.12.2025
