kwik1980
16 Jan 2004, 08:24 PM
Wolves are back in action in the Premier League tomorrow with the lunchtime match against Manchester United at Molineux (for those of us in the States, this match will be on Fox Sports World LIVE at 7:30 am Eastern). Wolves are coming off a 2-0 win against Kidderminster in a FA Cup 3rd Round replay (that win earned us a 4th round home match against West Ham United). Wolves sit 20th in the Premiership, 2 points back of 19th-placed Leeds, and 7 points out of safety. Man U., coming off a 0-0 draw with Newcastle in their last match, are on top of the League, 1 point up on Arsenal.
The two teams met in August, at Old Trafford, with United coming away with a 1-0 win on an early goal from John O'Shea. It was actually a good result from Wolves, who probably should have gotten at least a draw out of the match.
Nathan Blake is out for Wolves, though Cameron, Rae, Naylor, Ince and Irwin all return after missing the Kidderminster match for various reasons. For United, Ryan Giggs is likely out, and this could be the final United match for Nicky Butt, who has made no secret of his desire to leave during the transfer window. It could also be the final match of the season for Rio Ferdinand, who, despite a plan to appeal his 8 month ban for missing a drug test, has made plans to start serving that suspension on Tuesday.
For Wolves, this may not be a "must-win", but we're getting close to that point. 7 points is not an impossible gap to close, but the way that Wolves have been playing lately, and with Liverpool coming to Molineux on Wednesday, a good effort and a point, at the very least is needed tomorrow.
Possible players, from the BBC:
Wolves- Oakes, Irwin, Luzhny, Butler, Craddock, Naylor, Newton, Rae, Cameron, Ince, Camara, Iversen, Ganea, Gudjonsson, Kachloul, Kennedy, Miller, Silas, Clyde, Ikeme
United- Howard, Carroll, G Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Brown, O'Shea, Fortune, Forlan, Fletcher, P Neville, Butt, Keane, Kleberson, Giggs, van Nistelrooy, Bellion
Referee- A. D'Urso
The two teams met in August, at Old Trafford, with United coming away with a 1-0 win on an early goal from John O'Shea. It was actually a good result from Wolves, who probably should have gotten at least a draw out of the match.
Nathan Blake is out for Wolves, though Cameron, Rae, Naylor, Ince and Irwin all return after missing the Kidderminster match for various reasons. For United, Ryan Giggs is likely out, and this could be the final United match for Nicky Butt, who has made no secret of his desire to leave during the transfer window. It could also be the final match of the season for Rio Ferdinand, who, despite a plan to appeal his 8 month ban for missing a drug test, has made plans to start serving that suspension on Tuesday.
For Wolves, this may not be a "must-win", but we're getting close to that point. 7 points is not an impossible gap to close, but the way that Wolves have been playing lately, and with Liverpool coming to Molineux on Wednesday, a good effort and a point, at the very least is needed tomorrow.
Possible players, from the BBC:
Wolves- Oakes, Irwin, Luzhny, Butler, Craddock, Naylor, Newton, Rae, Cameron, Ince, Camara, Iversen, Ganea, Gudjonsson, Kachloul, Kennedy, Miller, Silas, Clyde, Ikeme
United- Howard, Carroll, G Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Brown, O'Shea, Fortune, Forlan, Fletcher, P Neville, Butt, Keane, Kleberson, Giggs, van Nistelrooy, Bellion
Referee- A. D'Urso