Manchester United

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.

This week, he takes on Eats Everything, aka DJ and producer Daniel Pearce, who is a Manchester United fan.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

I usually get a bit of feedback on social media when I predict a Manchester United defeat but it has been very quiet since I said they would lose to Bournemouth on Sunday.

I did not think the scoreline would be 3-0 again, but the reason I went with the Cherries is because they won at Old Trafford last season and, since then, they have improved while United have gone backwards. So, was it really such a surprise?

Moving on to this game, and the same thinking applies. Why would anyone look at Ruben Amorim's side and back them to beat Wolves? I can't think of any compelling reason why anything will be different here.

I feel sorry for Amorim because he arrived with such excitement around his appointment but, only a few weeks later, he must be fully aware of how big a job he faces to turn things around.

United have wasted a fortune to build this squad and, as Amorim keeps saying, he is still trying to find his best XI. This is a trial period for him but he has got to deal with issues like Marcus Rashford's future as well. He has got a lot to sort out.

It is hard to know what Wolves will be like either, though. One of the positives from their win over Leicester in Vitor Pereira's first game was a clean sheet, but you have to remember that the Foxes are bang average.

So, as poor as United have been, I am not going for Wolves to win this either. Instead, I think this will be a tight game and it has got draw written all over it.

Eats Everything's prediction: 0-2

I was hoping our win in the derby would boost our form but obviously that wasn't the case against Bournemouth. Wolves got a good win in in Pereira's first match in charge and playing them in his first home game is going to be tough, but of course I am going to back us.

I'd like to think if Rashford or Alejandro Garnacho are on the bench then one of them will come on and be itching to do something, and make the difference.

Read the full predictions and have your say

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In both Premier League and English Football League history, Manchester United have won more games and scored more goals on Boxing Day than any other side.

They have 22 wins and 74 goals in the Premier League era, and 54 wins and 202 goals overall.

Manchester United are set to step up their interest in Atalanta and Brazil midfielder Ederson, but the Italian side will not sell the 25-year-old in January and want at least 60m euros (£50m). (Tuttomercatoweb - in Italian), external

Marcus Rashford is a target for Paris St-Germain but the French giants will not pay United's £50m-£60m asking price because of the forward's wages, which are believed to be in excess of £300,000 a week. (Teamtalk), external

United are monitoring the situation of France forward Randal Kolo Muani at PSG. Liverpool,Tottenham and RB Leipzig are also interested in the 26-year-old. (Sky Sports Germany), external

Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy could lean on his Old Trafford connections to land a suitable loan signing in January. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow gossip on BBC Sport to keep up to date with the latest transfer rumours

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For me, wherever I played, I'd always see where the first game was, where the last game was, and where we were at Christmas.

There is such a big difference between being at home on Boxing Day versus being away because, depending on what your manager is like, if you've got an away game there is a chance you're training on Christmas Day.

Some of the toughest times I had was when we had away games on Boxing Day and we had to come in to train at four or five on Christmas. That's when everything is just starting at home and everyone is really enjoying themselves and you have to leave.

If you lose you are sat in the hotel having walked away from friends and family all for no points. It's not the best feeling and as a consequence you bring home some of that disappointment with you.

But, in reality, you just know it is the busiest time of the year. The floodlights are always on for the games, the conditions get that little bit tougher, you've got games it feels like every three or four days.

I think it's an exciting part of the season because you can gain real, significant momentum but ultimately it comes down to are you winning games.

I think the Christmas period itself can be tough if you have got family but in reality it always feels nicer when you get that win on Boxing Day. The atmosphere in the stadiums is a little bit different, the atmosphere among the players is a bit different.

You're very thankful to get the chance to do what you do, but if you end up losing on Boxing Day or around that spell it is rubbish because it almost feels like it was a waste of time with all the efforts you put in.

But, I get it. The fans love it, there is a lot of clamour around it. You lose track of days just like everyone else does after Christmas and before New Year but it is great to play in front of those types of crowds and it just does feel different playing during that week or two.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward

Alex Turk
Fan writer

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As 2024 stumbles to a close at Manchester United, let's take a brief moment to reflect on the highs rather than anguish over the lows.

In a year of plenty of the latter, moments don't get much greater than the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on 25 May.

United's 13th FA Cup-winning run probably produced the club's two best moments of 2024, in fact.

The 4-3 quarter-final victory against Liverpool is the most emotional match I have attended at Old Trafford since becoming a season ticket holder in 2015.

But Erik ten Hag's heavy underdogs went one better by executing the Dutchman's gameplan to perfection against Manchester City in the final.

Dread was the overwhelming feeling in the build-up. Ten Hag was expected to lose his job, and you'd likely be able to count the number of the world's punters who backed United on one hand.

Two academy graduates - Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo - netting the decisive goals in a 2-1 victory made the occasion all the more sweet.

Rich traditions overcoming modern, state-backed dominance. Days like that sunny afternoon in May are the ones that Manchester United Football Club is all about.

Tears were flowing (and not just from my eyes) as I stood in the heavens at Wembley in disbelief. Dread quickly transitioned into immense pride.

Vengeance for that agonising narrow defeat in the first-ever Manchester derby FA Cup final a year earlier.

It just went to show that no matter how bad things stoop at this incredible football club, there will always be a chance of magic.

At the start of the sixth rebuild since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson, that sparks desperately needed hope under Ruben Amorim.

Find more from Alex Turk at Stretford Paddock, external

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Premier League game against Wolves (kick-off 17:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• He was asked about Wolves boss Vitor Pereira, a fellow Portuguese, and said: "He did a great job at Porto. He is a very good coach who will understand us."

• He was asked again about Marcus Rashford being left out and said: "When I feel that it is the right moment to change something [I will], until then I will continue to think what is the best for the team. I speak to him every day but not about the interview, about the performance."

• When asked if the situation with Rashford could become a distraction, Amorim told reporters: "I don't think so. Everybody in Carrington knows what I'm talking about and what I want from Marcus and everybody else. So it's not a distraction for us, maybe it's for the media but that is not my concern."

• He says he "doesn't want anything from the fans" during this tough period, adding: "It's just from us. I cannot say better things for the fans. I understand as a coach, I understand the moment, I understand the frustration, the disappointment. I understand and we will improve, it will take time. So it's just from us, they need our help, not the other way around. They are doing everything right."

• Amorim is not concerned with managing matches around the festive period, something he is not used to in Portugal, stating: "I don't care about Christmas and nothing. I'm just focused on - we need to win the next match. That's the only thing. It's very good for the fans. We are privileged. So we can play on Boxing Day to give some happiness to the fans and we want to win another game."

Bill Rice
BBC Radio Manchester sports editor

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It's hard to imagine how the first few months of the season could have gone any worse for Manchester United.

Having ended the last campaign with an unexpected FA Cup win, they opted to stick with Erik ten Hag as manager, only to change their mind just three months and 11 games into the new Premier League season.

It was a costly mistake, with roughly £21m spent on sacking the Dutchman and his coaching staff, and paying the compensation to get Ruben Amorim out of Sporting.

Even this early in his tenure it's clear how the Portuguese wants his team to operate in an aggressive 3-4-3 formation, but he doesn't have all the personnel he needs to perfect it, and that will more than likely take more than one window to fix.

Marcus Rashford's future is the big one that needs resolving – and while Amorim appears to want him to stay, if he were to leave in January it would bring in much-needed funds for the manager to spend on his rebuild. Antony may also be sold, while Alejandro Garnacho is surely one the club want to keep.

Another centre-back, a left-back, a midfielder and a proven striker are sure to be on Amorim's wish list – with Sporting's Viktor Gyokeres and Napoli's Victor Osimhen among the names being mentioned.

If United can get a proven goalscorer in - and some of those problem positions rectified in 2025 - they can start to move up the Premier League table, but it may be two years before we can talk about them challenging for the big trophies again, so patience is vital.

Listen to Total Sport on BBC Radio Manchester, weeknights at 18:00, and subscribe to The Devils' Advocate: A Manchester United podcast on BBC Sounds

On the latest episode of BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, The Athletic's Rory Smith says he would rather be Ruben Amorim than Pep Guardiola at the moment, saying that Amorim seems "completely unfazed" about Manchester United's form.

On the other hand, former Premier League striker Chris Sutton says he would rather be Pep Guardiola because of his superior squad and Amorim still needing "so many transfer windows" to be successful.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Are some players at Manchester United going backwards?

The team on The Devils' Advocate podcast have discussed the matter and wonder if getting rid of the biggest earners at the club is a first step that needs to be taken.

Take a look at the clips and listen to The Devils' Advocate here

Manchester United are interested in bringing in 25-year-old Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen, who is on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli, to the club in January. (Sky Sports Switzerland, via Manchester Evening News)

Tension between AC Milan boss Paulo Fonseca and France defender Theo Hernandez could lead to the 27-year-old's exit from the San Siro with Real Madrid and Manchester United interested in the left-back. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

Ruben Amorim is under no pressure to pick England forward Marcus Rashford, 27, even if his continued absence could weaken their negotiating position over a January sale. (ESPN), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

A new episode of BBC Radio Manchester's The Devils' Advocate podcast has landed on BBC Sounds.

The team pick over another 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth and ask who in the current squad could play in Ruben Amorim's system next season.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim will be allowed to deal with the Marcus Rashford situation as he sees fit, with no pressure being applied from the club's hierarchy.

Amorim left Rashford out of his matchday squad for the third game in a row on Sunday.

Although Rashford said he is ready for a "new challenge", the Portuguese insists he wants the 27-year-old to remain at Old Trafford but has spoken about intensity in training and communication with team-mates as a couple of the reasons why Rashford has been exiled.

The England forward was at Old Trafford for the 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth. It remains to be seen whether he will return to the fold for the Boxing Day trip to Wolves.

Rashford is one of United's highest earners, with a salary of about £350,000 a week. This limits the number of options available should a decision be taken for the player to leave the club when the transfer window opens next month.

Paris St-Germain have already distanced themselves from speculation they are interested in Rashford, while the player is thought to be dubious about the merit of a move to the Saudi Pro League as he still has England ambitions.

As with Jadon Sancho following his fallout with Erik ten Hag 12 months ago, it is possible a loan deal could be arranged, although given the finances involved, United might have to make a contribution, which would squeeze an already tight Profit and Sustainability situation.

Nevertheless, Amorim will be allowed to deal with the matter, with chief executive Omar Berrada and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe keen to stay away from a subject they regard as within the remit of the head coach.