Since the departure of Kevin De Bruyne from Wolfsburg, claims that the German's arsenal has been significantly diminished enough to make them merely other rans, is wide of the mark.
Indeed, the Bundesliga side still carry significant areas of threat across the pitch, as Manchester United will discover this week. But where lie the key battle areas as the sides meet in the Champions League?
Joshua Guilavogui - Bastian Schweinsteiger
with the likely absence of Luiz Gustavo due to a knee injury, The Wolves are likely to deploy Daniel Caligiuri in his absence, however his midfield partner as the muscle in central midfield, Joshua Guilavogui will have to do the majority of groundwork.
On loan from Atletico Madrid, the Frenchman has become a lynchpin for the German side since the return of Brazilian Josué, to his native land and Atlético Mineiro in 2013, after a six-year stint.
The French youth international will have to get to grips with former league-mate Bastian Schweinsteiger, but has the height and presence to do so, should United's German enforcer have an off-day.
Dante - Anthony Martial-Wayne Rooney
Former team-mate of Schweinsteiger at Bayern Munich, Dante switched to Wolfsburg in the summer, after falling down the defensive pecking order behind Mehdi Benatia, Holger Badstuber and Jerome Boateng, for Pep Guardiola's men.
Though often criticized as a centre-back, the Brazilian international is a capable performer and his 6'2 and a half frame - like his defensive partner and compatriot Naldo - will dwarf United's front line of Wayne Rooney, Memphis and Juan Mata.
Not least the in-form Anthony Martial also. After scoring three in as many league games, Dante will have his work cut-out, although versus a player in Martial, who is yet to score a Champions League goal, in over 500 minutes of game time.
Christian Träsch - Memphis
The battle on the United left is where the game could be won. With Memphis having scored three times already in this European campaign, The Red Devils will look to their Dutch speedster to drive them on.
After scoring his first Premier League goal versus Sunderland, Memphis will look to continue his form, in the competition that has seen his best displays.
His right-back opponent, Christian Träsch will likely be in for a busy Manchester night, but as a natural midfielder, the 28-year-old knows how to read the game. Träsch also has ten caps to his name, for the German national team since 2009.
Andre Schurrle - Antonio Valencia
Louis van Gaal's men are no strangers to former Chelsea man Andre Schurrle. Since his return to the Bundesliga, Schurrle has picked up where he left off with Bayer Leverkusen, even if his early season form this season has been poor in Germany.
Against Antonio Valencia - should Van Gaal deploy the Ecuadorian there and leave Matteo Darmian on the left of defence, as expected - Schurrle's pace and guile could prove to be an effective weapon versus Valencia who is never far from a faux-pas.
Valencia is likely to win any physical battle, but to ensure that, he needs to keep his man shackled, despite having not scored versus United in the English top flight.
Bas Dost-Julian Draxler - Chris Smalling
If Wolfsburg are to come to Old Trafford and get a positive result, Dieter Hecking's side will have to break down a continually resolute United defence, of which Chris Smalling has formed the backbone of.
New £25m man Julian Draxler will look to pull the strings at number ten, whilst forward front man Bas Dost will attempt to stretch Smalling and find the right pockets in which to operate.
If United have Mata, the visitors have Draxler. Heavily linked with a move to Arsenal, before the arrival of Mesut Özil, Draxler could be the man to cause Smalling and Daley Blind the most consternation.
Louis Van Gaal will also be aware of his compatriot's scoring ability, with the towering 6'5 man's superior aerial skills and heading prowess, scoring 32 goals in 68 appearances since 2012 for his club, including sixteen last term, averaging a goal every 96 minutes.