2 mins: A lively start to the game, with some quick tackles early on. Both teams are looking forward to the challenge and there is a correspondingly good atmosphere.

We’re at Molineux and United immediately steal the ball and attack down the right, where Mazraoui’s cross doesn’t quite reach Hojlund.

Rayan Ait–Nouri replaced Ricardo Gomes with the only change to the lineup that beat Leicester in Vitor Pereira’s impressive first game as manager.

Ruben Amorim makes two changes to his Manchester United team. Leny Yoro comes into the team for Tyrell Malacia, which means Mazraoui will probably move from the back three to full-back, and Rasmus Hojlund returns to the starting lineup in place of Joshua Zirkzee at the top. Matthijs de Ligt is back on the bench after a short illness.

A reminder of today’s lineup of the two teams:

Wolves: Sa, Semedo, Doherty, Bueno, Toti, Ait-Nouri, Andre, J.Gomes, Guedes, Cunha, Larsen

Substitutes: Johnstone, Dawson, Meupiyou, Lima, Doyle, R.Gomes, Bellegarde, Forbs, Hwang.

Manchester United: Onana, Yoro, Maguire, Martinez, Mazraoui, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot, Amad, Fernandes, Hojlund.

Substitutes: Bayindir, De Ligt, Evans, Eriksen, Casemiro, Collyer, Garnacho, Antony, Zirkzee.

In both Premier League and English Football League history, United won more games and scored more goals on Boxing Day than any other team, with 22 wins and 74 goals in the Premier League and 54 wins and 202 goals overall.

United have only failed to score in one of their last 30 Boxing Day league games, a 2-0 defeat at Stoke City in 2015.

In his pre-match press conference, Ruben Amorim reiterated that United “must win the next game. That’s the only thing.”

“It’s very good for the fans. We are privileged. So that we can play on Boxing Day, to bring some joy to the fans, we want to win another game.

He added that he “doesn’t want anything from the fans,” adding that “it’s just from us.”

“I can’t say anything better to the fans. As a coach I understand, I understand the moment, I understand the frustration, the disappointment. I understand and we will improve, it will take time.

“So it only comes from us, they need our help, not the other way around. They’re doing everything right.”

On Rashford’s recent loss, he added: “If I feel it’s the right moment to make a change (I will), until then I will continue to think about what is best for the team.”

“I talk to him every day, not about the interview, but about the performance.”

Wolves are unbeaten in their last seven Boxing Day league games (W5 D2), having previously lost 11 of their 14 such games (W1 D2).

They have conceded a league-high 16 goals from set pieces (excluding penalties) in the Premier League this season, while Manchester United have conceded the highest proportion in the league with 41% of goals from such situations.

The last coach to win his first two top-flight games as Wolves manager was Sammy Chung in August 1977.

Having won three of their first five home Premier League games against Man Utd (L2), Wolves are now winless in their last five and have lost their last four in a row (D1).

United have won seven of their last eight Premier League games against Wolves, with the exception of a 1-0 home defeat in January 2022.

A week after a memorable comeback derby win at rivals Manchester City, the final whistle was greeted with boos after a defeat that left the Red Devils stuck in 13th place in the Premier League.

The head coach’s press conference was then briefly interrupted by a leak in the media room ceiling.

These two teams have met 96 times in the past, with the first meeting dating back to 1892. In total, United won 47 times, Wolves won 32 times and they ended in a draw 17 times.

Last season, Kobbie Mainoo scored a late goal to secure a 4-3 win in this game after United beat Wolves 1-0 in their opening game of the season in August.