Two Premier League teams aiming to bounce back from midweek defeats will clash at Molineux on Saturday as Wolverhampton Wanderers play host to Manchester City.
Gary O’Neil’s side suffered a 3-2 loss against Championship club Ipswich Town, while Pep Guardiola’s men were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Newcastle United.
Match Preview
O’Neil has a lot to contemplate following a four-match winless streak, which includes back-to-back league losses against Crystal Palace and Liverpool, a controversial draw with Luton Town, and the EFL Cup defeat to Ipswich.
Despite taking a two-goal lead through Hwang Hee-chan and Toti Gomes, Wolves conceded quickly before Jack Taylor’s stunning long-range strike sealed their fate.
Returning to home soil, Wolverhampton Wanderers face a difficult run of fixtures, including matches against Man City, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur at Molineux.
Since their double triumph over Man City in the 2019-20 season, Wolves have suffered six consecutive defeats, with a daunting aggregate score of 19-3.
Currently sitting in 16th place in the Premier League table, a mere three points above the relegation zone, Wolves cannot afford another home loss.
Losing their opening three home games of the season would only be the third time in their history, with previous instances in 1986-87 and 2021-22.
Manchester City, on the other hand, experienced their second defeat in 39 games across all competitions after their EFL Cup exit at the hands of Newcastle United.
Despite dominating possession in the first half, City failed to respond to Alexander Isak’s 53rd-minute strike, resulting in a disappointing defeat.
However, Pep Guardiola commended his players despite the setback.
Currently leading the Premier League with six consecutive victories, Manchester City faces a demanding schedule with three consecutive away fixtures.
After the clash with Wolves, they will face RB Leipzig in the Champions League and Arsenal in the Premier League.
Having achieved impressive victories in their previous three visits to Molineux, Man City aims to continue their winning streak, having outscored Wolves 11-2 in those encounters.
A win on Saturday would mark a historic seven-game winning start to a top-flight season for City.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Premier League Form: L L W L L D
Manchester City Premier League Form: W W W W W W
Team News:
Wolves are expected to have a full squad available, except for midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde who is serving the second match of his suspension.
Man City loanee Tommy Doyle is ineligible to play against his parent club.
Predicted Starting Lineups:
Wolverhampton Wanderers:
Sa;
Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, Ait-Nouri;
Gomes, Traore, Lemina;
Neto, Cunha, Hwang
Manchester City:
Ederson;
Walker, Akanji, Dias, Ake;
Kovacic, Nunes;
Foden, Alvarez, Doku;
Haaland
Prediction:
Our prediction for the game is Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-4 Manchester City.
Despite Wolves’ ability to find the net in recent home games, Manchester City’s firepower should secure them a comfortable victory in the West Midlands.
