Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sheffield United and Burnley; hardly the usual suspects in terms of European contenders. But as Arsenal, Manchester United and Spurs languish just below them, the former two teams are set to lock horns in a crucial six-pointer at Molineux – where a loss could send either team as far down as 11th.
With the Blades still defying pre-season naysayers with their smelting-hot form, their West Midlands opponents have had to deal with fixture congestion – drawing 3-3 with Braga on Thursday night and a fixture against West Ham next Wednesday to keep in mind. United will be looking to thwart a perhaps overworked and changed side, but Wolves won’t want to roll over like dogs and will be giving some contested on-pitch battles for Sheffield United to deal with.
Raúl Jiménez vs Phil Jagielka
The Premier League’s answer to the unstoppable force meeting the immovable object. The unstoppable force; a clinical Mexican striker with an acute eye for goal who has managed six goals so far this season in the league. The immovable object, a 37-year-old man from Sale who’s tackle on Marcus Rashford in the 92nd minute nearly sent him to the Twilight Zone.
Jiménez commands a physical presence in the penalty area as a traditional number nine; aiming to hold up play for the two wingers or for Rúben Neves to latch on to floated crosses by Adama Traoré and Diogo Jota. Jagielka, the oldest Premier League player to play this season, will need to use his domineering physical style to bully Jiménez and nullify his large striking aura; especially as Chris Basham and Jack O’Connell will make overlapping flanking runs to fit with Chris Wilder’s tactical mindset.
João Moutinho vs John Lundstram
Whilst perhaps not being entirely at odds against each other physically, the battle of the central-midfield suppliers could prove to be crucial this weekend. Everyone’s favourite FPL points-bagger John Lundstram regularly floats around the edge of the box; often in anticipation of feeding the ball to players in the box or opportunistically pouncing on rebounds. One slight slip-up is what his Wolves counterpart will be chomping at the bit to prey on.
Moutinho, as the quintessential deep-lying midfielder, will want to press heavily on United’s players positioned outside the box to start a lethal counter-attack; carrying the ball up the pitch before picking out his speedy cohorts with his excellent passing. The veteran Portuguese playmaker is the pivotal link to Wolves’ rapid wingers in Traoré and Jota and, thus, could make him the driving force in the Wolves attacking vehicle.
Conor Coady vs David McGoldrick
Lys Mousset was originally a doubt for this weekend’s clash yet has been declared fit, yet the spotlight may still fall on his strike-partner David McGoldrick who must accommodate the stand-in striker – whether it be Billy Sharp, Callum Robinson or even fellow big-man Oli McBurnie. As an Emile Heskey-esque, team-oriented stocky striker, it’s important for the Blades’ offence to pivot and bounce off the Irishman; with the 32-year-old acting as a supplier to break down Wolves’ stern centre-back triplex – led by Conor Coady.
With Jonny and Matt Doherty acting as flanking wing-backs more so than stringent full-backs, the Wolves captain will need to press hard on McGoldrick and organise a watertight defensive line to limit Sheffield United’s attacking supply.
