Up Eight Places! Manchester United Lead the Premier League’s Biggest Rise as Three Players Edge Closer to a Return—But Amorim Fears Bruno Fernandes Could Steal the Spotlight

Manchester United are set to welcome Wolves to Old Trafford once again. Three weeks ago, United were briefly pegged back after being levelled, but still powered to a convincing win away from home. Now the venue switches, and United have no reason—nor excuse—to hand Wolves their first Premier League victory of the season.

Team availability has become the main talking point. At his pre-match press conference, Amorim played down hopes of reinforcements, suggesting no one is close to returning. Mason Mount’s condition remains unclear. Kobbie Mainoo is not ready. Captain Bruno Fernandes is in the same situation, and the same goes for Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire. In short, Amorim’s message was blunt: don’t expect a wave of comebacks.

That reality continues to leave United stretched. In the previous match, Amorim had to deploy Dorgu as an emergency right winger and switch into a back four—clear evidence that even the head coach can’t conjure solutions out of thin air. The positive? Dorgu delivered. The 21-year-old found the net and helped United take all three points, further strengthening his growing reputation among supporters.

One detail is worth noting: Dorgu is already on four yellow cards. One more and he would normally face an automatic one-match suspension. The good news is that after 19 league matches, the five-yellow threshold no longer triggers a ban. If he can keep his discipline for one more game, the next suspension risk won’t arrive until ten yellow cards.

On the tactical front, Amorim made a point that deserves credit: the team will not be locked into a three-at-the-back system forever. However, he argued that changing too soon would create the impression that he was bending to external pressure. From his perspective, this moment is the right time to introduce the back four—choosing the right approach at the right time—and he was pleased the players have been able to execute it.

It’s a stance rooted in managerial authority. Amorim’s view is that coaches cannot allow media noise to dictate decisions. Only the head coach truly understands each player’s condition and what the squad can absorb tactically—not the press, not the fans, and not even former stars with strong opinions. Staying firm, he believes, can be the difference between drifting and succeeding.

This season, United’s most striking improvement has been their threat from set pieces—now among the standout teams in the league in that department. With more goals coming from rehearsed dead-ball routines, United have scored 32 times in 18 matches. Compared with recent seasons, their attacking output has taken a clear step forward. While the defensive record remains imperfect, the steady supply of goals raises the floor: the goal difference stays healthy, results stabilize, and the table position continues to climb.

The comparison is telling. After Matchweek 18 last season, United sat 14th. At the same stage this campaign, they’ve risen to sixth—an eight-place jump, the biggest improvement among all 20 Premier League teams over the same period. They’ve even drawn level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea, keeping themselves—just about—in the Champions League picture.

That’s why Wolves, rooted to the bottom, must not become a stumbling block. United cannot afford to drop points, and “difficult circumstances” won’t wash as an excuse. Against a side with only two points from 18 games, defeat—handing them their first league win—would be a humiliation far worse than losing to Grimsby.

Amorim, for his part, appeared upbeat in the build-up. He revealed that Bruno Fernandes is constantly pushing to train and eager to return as quickly as possible—checking in on sessions even after treatment. Amorim joked that Bruno might be trying to “take his job.” It was a light moment, but it also underlined Fernandes’ leadership and relentless edge—traits that define a captain, gestures and all.

Meanwhile, there has also been encouraging news from the Africa Cup of Nations. Mazraoui provided an assist to Diaz in the opening match, contributing to the tournament’s first goal. Mbeumo scored in his first game and was named Man of the Match. Diallo has scored in both matches and earned Man of the Match awards each time. In the second game, Mbeumo and Diallo even staged a “United derby” at AFCON, swapping shirts after the final whistle—leading local media to amusingly confuse Diallo for Mbeumo.

Host nation Morocco have completed the group stage as group winners and advanced. With the third-placed teams in Groups A and B stuck on just two points, and Ivory Coast and Cameroon both on four points in Group F, those two nations have already secured qualification among the best third-placed finishers before the final round of matches. All three United players involved have reached the round of 16, meaning an immediate return is unlikely—no matter how much the club needs bodies—and they are expected to miss the next match against Leeds United as well.

For Manchester United, the problem remains clear: the results are improving, but the squad shortage isn’t going away any time soon.