Predicting Manchester United results during a frantic festive period
Manchester United face three Premier League fixtures between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day as part of the traditional hectic winter schedule.
United are at Leicester on Boxing Day before games at home to Wolves and Aston Villa.
Those fixtures produced five points last season; a win at Leicester on the final day of the season, a 0-0 stalemate against the Old Gold on Bruno Fernandes’s debut and a 2-2 draw with Villa.
So many points from a possible nine will United get this time around? We think it’ll be seven.
Leicester (A) – Win
Leicester have enjoyed a fine start to the season, just as they did in 2019/20.
Under Brendan Rodgers, they like to come out and play and United may be able to hit them on the break.
The away league form has been outstanding so far this season and while it’ll be a tough game, that could continue at the King Power Stadium.
Leicester are once again emerging as a genuine top four rival which makes this a crucial clash to kick off the festive period.
Wolves (H) – Win
United have played Wolves seven times since Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were promoted back to the top flight in 2018.
Those matches have produced just one United win, a 1-0 victory in an FA Cup third round replay in January.
That record shows what a tough and tight game this will be, but Wolves will be without their talismanic top scorer Raul Jimenez.
In Jimenez’s absence, United should be able to take the initiative against a side who haven’t reached their best often enough this season.
It’ll be a close game as always, but United can get the win.
Aston Villa (H) – Draw
There’s usually one game of the three over the festive period where the fatigue sets in and it’s just about getting a result irrespective of the performance – that could be the case here.
Perhaps two tricky matches will catch up with United against a Villa side who look much improved this season.
Jack Grealish tormented United at Old Trafford last season and has gone up a gear this term. Ollie Watkins and Ross Barkley have been impressive additions too.
Villa have already ripped Liverpool and Arsenal apart this season. Combine that with the tiredness and United patchy home form and the spoils could be shared here.
Seven points from nine would be a decent return from a tough run of festive fixtures.
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