Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City. Prediction and Preview. Probable Lineups, Team News, Stats and more
Wolverhampton Wanderers will host Manchester City in the English Premier League eight-tour match at the Moulinex Stadium. The fixture will take place on September 17, beginning at 17:00 IST.
All of the seventh round matches have been postponed due to the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, whilst the eighth round will be missing only 3 matches out of 10. Manchester City started the season non-excellent, seeing 2 unnecessary draws. However, the main rival – Liverpool – failed to get off to a flying start, winning only 2 times in 6 games. So far, the only real opposition to the Citizens is Arsenal and Tottenham – yet the difference in class is obvious, now to top the table they simply need to win match by match and wait for the misfires of the other competitors.
The next test is the trip to Molineux to face a club that looms at the bottom of the table, but the squad is full of strong players capable of “biting” any opponent. Pep Guardiola hopes to cruise into the international break on a major note, while Bruno Laghe will try to turn the tide of the season, a positive result against such an opponent will definitely contribute to the rapid completion of the rebuilding processes in the Wolves’ camp.
Parimatchnews will tell you everything you need to know ahead of the upcoming match.
Wolverhampton Wanderers News & Current Form:
Wolves failed to qualify for European competitions last season as they finished in 10th place in the Premier Division of the English league. Not to say it was a bad result, but the club’s fans are a bit too spoiled after the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals in the 2020/21 season. Expectations were on a completely different level.
Wolverhampton have started the current campaign even worse, with just one win in the first six rounds, resulting in only 14th place. Despite having an abundance of talent in the squad, the Oranges do not make an impression of a balanced and coherent squad, they are still looking for their game and their best form.
The most problematic area appears to be in attack. 3 goals scored is the worst result in the league. Only a stout defence, contrastingly the best in the league at the moment (4 goals conceded) helps them not to lose face. Although, not without luck here either, as xGA (expected goals against) is 6.9.
The previous encounter in the EPL produced mixed feelings for Wolverhampton. On one hand, they picked up a long-awaited win, their first since early April, thereby ending a 12-match unbeaten streak. Bruno Lage’s men beat Southampton 1-0 at home thanks to a Daniel Podence goal.
On the other hand, they lost their valuable late signing – Saša Kalajdžić, who had been expected to be the main asset in the attacking line-up this season. The Austrian striker injured his knee and is out for an extended period. Besides, the Wolves’ attacking display again left a lot of questions. Creating goal-scoring situations, let alone goals themselves, is still very difficult for Wolverhampton.
This week, Wolves signed Diego Costa, who is well remembered in England for his performances for Chelsea (52 goals and 18 assists in 89 games).
However, the former Spain international will have to settle in as a substitute because the absence of Kalajdzic means Raul Jimenez will once again be at the heart of the attack. By the way, there are a lot of rumours circulating about the Mexican. There is talk that the striker will return to the Liga MX this winter as he appears to be unable to find his feet after suffering a head injury in November 2020.
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Manchester City News & Current Form:
Last season, Pep Guardiola’s side won the English title for the 8th time in their history. However, if the Premier League crown is a familiar sight, then another fiasco on the international stage has been hugely frustrating. In the UEFA Champions League, where Manchester City are traditionally regarded as the favourites, the Citizens lost in the semi-finals to Real Madrid, which subsequently raised the coveted trophy (4-3, 1-3).
The new campaign began albeit without losing, but with certain warning bells. In the previous match in the English championship, the Citizens lost points rather unexpectedly. However, this draw against Aston Villa looks legitimate and congruent in relation to the logic of the match. Pep Guardiola’s side had an unusually high percentage of mistakes, and some players played well below their level. Moreover, in Birmingham, the Citizens could have suffered their first defeat of the season at all had the lineman not made a hasty decision by flagging down Philippe Coutinho for offside.
“I liked everything about our game in defence, but in attack, particularly in the last third of the pitch… The players, usually merciless in such situations, let a lot of chances slip by. However, it happens sometimes. We could have won but, unfortunately, we didn’t”
Pep Guardiola said in his post-match press conference.
The Manchester City manager stressed that it was just a fluke, and that a drop in his side’s performance was out of the question. Moreover, we should keep in mind – the Premier League is truly the most competitive championship in the world, so every game here is a bitter struggle, where it is difficult to predict the result. We have seen enough sensations already, for example – the results of Liverpool.
In fact, the Spaniard’s words were proved in the next two matches the team played in the Champions League. They show that the team appears to be in fine form. Against Sevilla, the Skyblues had no problems at all at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium (0-4), while in the home game against Borussia Dortmund they had to show their character (2-1 win), which Manchester City lacked in the decisive stages of this tournament. The English were able to achieve a positive result in the last 10 minutes of the match, first John Stones, who has not been showing a particularly convincing defensive performance this season, darted in with a striking longshot, thereby paying for all the wrongdoings in the past matches.
And then Erling Haaland also netted a mind-blowing acrobatic banger. And it was not the first time the former Bumblebee had emerged as the hero of the match, scoring the decisive goal. Just what was counted on, exactly the kind of monstrous finisher Pep Guardiola was lacking, the belief in UCL’s success is now stronger than ever.
In terms of injuries, the situation is uplifting as all the players are fit. Especially positive for the Citizens is the fact that the key defender Aymeric Laporte has already begun the training in the general group. There may also be room for newcomer Sergio Gomez, who had a decent game against Sevilla. The Norwegian Terminator needs rest, are we expecting the ex-Anderlecht Spaniard in the starting line-up?
Wolverhampton Wanderers form guide: D-L-W-D-D-W
Manchester City form guide: D-W-W-D-W-W
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City Head-To-Head Record:
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | Draw | Manchester City |
| 49 | 25 | 52 |
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City Predicted XI:
Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup: Sa; Jonny, Kilman, Collins, Ait-Nouri; Nunes, Neves, Moutinho; Neto, Hwang, Podence.
Manchester City possible starting lineup: Ederson; Stones, Akanji, Dias, Cancelo; Gundogan, Rodri, De Bruyne; Silva, Haaland, Foden.
Statistical preview of the match Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City:
- Wolverhampton Wanderers have conceded in 14 of the last 15 Premier League games against Manchester City.
- Wolverhampton Wanderers have not won in 12 of the last 13 Premier League games.
- Wolverhampton Wanderers have scored less than 1.5 goals in each of their last 9 Premier League games.
- Wolverhampton have not scored more than one goal in 90 minutes in their last nine EPL games.
- Manchester City have scored over 1.5 goals in 14 of the last 15 Premier League games.
- The win over Southampton proved to be Wolverhampton’s first in the EPL since the second of April.
- Manchester City have scored in 33 of the last 34 Premier League games.
- Manchester City have won their last four matches against Wolverhampton by a combined score of 13-3.
- City are winless away in the Premier League since the seventh of August (two draws).
- The Citizens are unbeaten in 21 away EPL games in a row.
- Erling Haaland has scored at least one goal in all three of City’s away games in the EPL.
What has been said before the match:
Bruno Lage, the Wolverhampton Wanderers gaffer:
“I know it’s not easy for us to see where the threat comes from, but this is the team we need to look at because they work like a collective. Sometimes the threat comes from Ederson because he just makes a long pass and create a situation to score. They work as a team, they change the first 11 and the dynamic is still there, in the game they change the positions and the dynamic is still there, now with the new striker we can see a big difference but the dynamic is still there.”
“The pause was very useful. It was a good time to work, especially for ourselves because it was a new system, especially the dynamics, the way we work, the way we want to attack, the way we want to defend, and also a little bit more time to have to recover from that period, work together and understand each other better.”
said the Portuguese about the break caused by the postponement of the tour.
“It was very good in one way, but we were ready to play against Liverpool, but more important things happened than football and we have to respect that. We had a good period to work and a good period to prepare for the game.”
Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City gaffer:
“Wolves are completely different team for different seasons. They used to play 5 at the back now with Coady now with four. I’m really impressed with how they play, unpredictable. They have a lot, a lot of really good things. Centre-backs, attack out-side, inside, a lot of talent with Neves, Guedes, Moutinho, all of them. They are competitors. One of the toughest opponents we have faced in last season and tomorrow will be no exception. They have a lot of quality, I respect Wolves for what they’ve done in the past, make us suffer. We have to be prepared. We have to mentally prepare.”
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City Prediction:
Wolverhampton have yet to lose on home soil in the new season, while City have not won their last two away games in the EPL. Given the Wolves’ record in defence, and the recent impressions of City’s poor attacking play against Dortmund, it is tempting to assume that the Citizens will lose points.
The Wanderers preach defensive football, which, however, has not often been successful in recent times and only helps the Oranges to stay afloat. On top of that, the main star – striker Kaladžić – is sidelined with an injury. Such an opponent is hardly a match for City, which has managed to acquire a secret weapon in the form of Haaland.
The Sky Blues have gained good momentum, and now there’s more versatility to crack low blocks. In the last 4 matches there was no problem either, with the total score (13:3) vindicating the fact. In addition, there’s plenty of motivation on the champion’s side as a misfire could deprive them of their place at the top of the standings. There will most likely be no sensation and Pep Guardiola will be able to set the team up for success on account of class.
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Parimatch News staff prediction:
We say: Man City to win with an Asian Handicap (-1.25) – Yes.