At one stage they had just a single point from their first eight matches and only 15 from 23, a miserable run under Gary O’Neil. The mood shifted once Vitor Pereira took charge, and the Portuguese coach turned himself from an unknown figure into something of a cult hero among Wolves fans.
Pereira was responsible for 10 of Wolves’ 12 league wins last season, and beyond the results he has connected with supporters off the pitch, often joining them in pubs after matches. His side have not had the best preparation for the new campaign, though.
Wolves failed to win any of their five pre-season friendlies, losing four, including a 1-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo last weekend. The squad is also adjusting to life without last season’s top scorer Matheus Cunha and without Rayan Ait-Nouri, who has since joined City.
New faces have arrived to fill the gaps. Jhon Arias, Fer Lopez and the memorably named David Moller Wolfe are among the summer signings, and Pereira expects more recruits before the window closes. The goal this year is simple: avoid another relegation scrap.
History is not on Wolves’ side. They have only won once in 20 Premier League games played in August and have lost on the opening day in each of the past four seasons. Their record against City is also bleak, with nine defeats in their last ten meetings since completing back-to-back wins in 2019.
As for City, they are eager to move past a difficult 2024-25 campaign. Injuries and dips in form left them finishing as low as third in the league and without a major trophy for the first time in eight years. They also endured a disappointing exit from the Club World Cup earlier this summer, bowing out in the round of 16. That setback at least gave Guardiola’s players a chance to rest, and they returned to training at the end of July.
City played only two friendlies in pre-season, beating Preston North End 1-0 behind closed doors and Palermo 3-0 in Sicily. Guardiola is preparing for his tenth season in English football, and this summer has seen plenty of changes to his squad.
Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Jack Grealish have all moved on, while Tijjani Reijnders, new number ten Rayan Cherki and goalkeeper James Trafford have come in under new director of football Hugo Viana.
City are starting their ninth straight league campaign with an away fixture, something that has rarely troubled them. They have won seven of the previous eight, scoring 19 goals and conceding only two. With a squad refreshed and reinforced, they will back themselves to make a strong start as they aim for a seventh league title in nine years.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Wolves will be missing Leon Chiwone with a knee injury and Fabio Silva with a thigh problem. Silva is also attracting interest from several European clubs and looks likely to move on before the transfer window closes. On a more positive note, Yerson Mosquera has recovered from his own knee issue and is fit enough to take a place on the bench.Vitor Pereira is expected to keep faith with his preferred 3-4-3 setup. Matt Doherty, Emmanuel Agbadou and Toti Gomes could form the back three in front of goalkeeper Jose Sa, who had the lowest save percentage of any regular Premier League keeper last season at 59.7 percent.
In midfield, Brazilians Joao Gomes and Andre are set to continue their partnership, offering energy and defensive steel. Ki-Jana Hoever is in line to start at right wing-back following Nelson Semedo’s departure.
Further forward, Pereira may hand full Premier League debuts to summer signings Jhon Arias and Fer Lopez, both of whom could support striker Jorgen Strand Larsen. The Norwegian scored 14 league goals last season and is expected to lead the line.
Manchester City also have their share of absentees. Mateo Kovacic and Kalvin Phillips are out after undergoing Achilles surgery, while Josko Gvardiol, Savinho and Ederson are sidelined with knocks or minor injuries. Ederson, who has been linked with a move away, will be replaced by James Trafford, who is set to make his City debut in goal.
Rodri, the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, suffered a serious injury at the Club World Cup and is not expected to be fully fit until after the international break, though he has traveled with the squad and could feature from the bench. Phil Foden has shaken off an ankle knock and is also in contention.
Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Nunes may start against their former club at full-back, while new signing Tijjani Reijnders is pushing for his first Premier League start in midfield alongside captain Bernardo Silva and either Ilkay Gundogan or Nico Gonzalez.
Rayan Cherki is another newcomer looking to force his way into the side, but faces stiff competition from Foden, Jeremy Doku, Omar Marmoush and Oscar Bobb. Up front, Erling Haaland is almost certain to start, having scored eight goals in just five matches against Wolves.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:Sa; Doherty, Agbadou, Toti; Hoever, J. Gomes, Andre, Wolfe; Lopez, Arias; Strand Larsen
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Trafford; Nunes, Dias, Ake, Ait-Nouri; Bernardo, Gundogan, Reijnders; Foden, Haaland, Marmoush
EXPERT PREDICTION
Wolves 1-3 Manchester City
Manchester City completed the double over Wolves last season, edging both games by a single goal, and Saturday’s opener has the potential to be another tight contest. Even so, City will go into the match as clear favourites and are expected to have the firepower to get past a Wolves side that shipped 69 goals last season, the fourth-worst defensive record in the league.
